Sean Eamon Ryan charged with allegedly smuggling Sayet Erhan Akca

A Queensland man charged with helping an alleged caravan ‘terror plot’ mastermind flee Australia by boat from Far North Queensland has been granted bail, despite strong objections from prosecutors. SEE THE VIDEO

A Queensland man charged with helping an alleged caravan ‘terror plot’ mastermind flee Australia on a boat from Far North Queensland has been granted bail, despite strong objections from prosecutors.

Sean Eamon Ryan, 57, from Bargara in the Bundaberg region was charged by Australian Federal Police with allegedly smuggling Sayet Erhan Akca from Australia to Phuket in Thailand in September 2023, after Akca had jumped bail on drug charges in NSW.

The Australian was arrested by the AFP under Operation Harrakis, which was investigating a criminal syndicate suspected of helping serious organised crime figures flee Australia.

He faced Bundaberg Magistrates Court via video link on Friday, and applied for bail.

During the application, it was officially confirmed that Akca was the “main suspect in the conspiracy to orchestrate a terrorism plot in Sydney.”

Sean Eamon Ryan, 57, from Bargara (pictured) in the Bundaberg region was charged by Australian Federal Police with allegedly smuggling Sayet Erhan Akca from Australia to Phuket in Thailand in September 2023, after Akca had jumped bail on drug charges in NSW.

A lawyer representing the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions outlined some of the police case and strongly opposed bail on the grounds Ryan could flee the country or interfere with witnesses.

The court heard via video link that Ryan was based in Thailand, had the connections and financial means to flee including access to cryptocurrency.

The DPP alleged Ryan already destroyed evidence by disposing of a phone at sea.

The AFP have alleged Ryan and another man crewed a vessel that collected the alleged Akca in an at-sea transfer before the three men allegedly sailed from Thursday Island on 21 September, 2023, and arrived in Phuket, Thailand, on 2 November, 2023.

It was alleged Ryan was the only person listed on the boat’s crew when it arrived.

The court was told the syndicate member and two other men were arrested in January 2025 were while trying to help another man flee Australia.

It was from this arrest Ryan was first identified and then arrested, the court heard.

He had allegedly turned down the job as he was caring for his sick mother.

The court heard he told police her care was the “only” reason he was in Australia.

A lawyer representing the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions outlined some of the police case and strongly opposed bail on the grounds Ryan could flee the country or interfere with witnesses.

The court was told messages on Ryan’s phone indicated he did not have a strong relationship with her though, including one in which he said she “had one foot in the grave and I need her to put both feet in”.

Ryan was accused of having access to “an unknown number of bank accounts in Australia and overseas, which he can use to obtain the reasonable and necessary to flee the jurisdiction” and “at least one significant cryptocurrency wallet located in Lithuania”.

During the application, it was officially confirmed that Sayet Erhan Akca was the “main suspect in the conspiracy to orchestrate a terrorism plot in Sydney”.

These claims were rejected by duty lawyer Ricky Lynch who disputed some of the police evidence and said Ryan was in Australia caring for his sick mother, who has bowel cancer.

Mr Lynch said Ryan’s boat was still in Thailand and he did not have the money to buy a new one as he had a about $10,000 to his name.

It was this money he was living off while in Australia, the court heard.

Ryan was qualified as a lawyer and there was “no evidence” of any cryptocurrency account, Mr Lynch said.

The court heard all his digital devices had been seized during his arrest.

Ryan was his mother’s “only family and her only support”, his lawyer said.

“She has no other family in Bundaberg.

“He’s not going to abscond and leave her.”

Ryan was arrested by the AFP under Operation Harrakis, which was investigating a criminal syndicate suspected of helping serious organised crime figures flee Australia.

Magistrate John McInnes said he was not persuaded there was an unacceptable risk in releasing Ryan, and granted him bail with restrictions on where he could live, travel and the communications devices he could use.

Speaking after his release on bail Friday afternoon, Ryan said he would fight the charges and denied helping Akca leave the country.

He was “very pleased” to be going back to his mother and while surprised by his arrest, he was not surprised to be released on bail.

Ryan made no comment on whether he had spoken to his mother, who requires specialised care, but said he was “very pleased” to be going back to her.

The AFP’s Operation Harrakis executed a search warrant on Thursday at a house near Bundaberg during which police seized devices including laptops and mobile phones.

An initial examination of the devices located at the home during the search allegedly identified correspondence between the man and offshore criminal syndicate facilitators, discussing arrangements for a fugitive to flee the country, the AFP alleges.

The AFP charged the Bargara man with: One count of intentionally providing material to support resources to a member of a criminal organisation, contrary to section 390.4 of the Criminal Code (Cth); which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment; and One count of people smuggling, contrary to section 73.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth), which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.

Sean Eamon Ryan had been charged with allegedly smuggling Akca (pictured) from Australia in September, 2023 after he had jumped bail on drug charges in NSW.

Last week The Australian ­revealed that Akca, the fugitive alleged to be behind a string of arson and graffiti attacks on Jewish targets, had posted vile anti-Semitic slurs for years before fleeing Australia, after being charged with alleged drug importation offences.

Akca, 35, who owned the now-closed Fitness Republic Cabramatta gym, has been living in Asia and Turkey since leaving Australia in mid-2023 while on bail over charges of attempting to import a commercial quantity of drugs using the encrypted AN0M messaging app.

AFP Commander Naomi Binstead said the AFP would relentlessly pursue anyone allegedly involved in helping suspected fugitives abscond Australia.

“Alleged criminals facing serious charges and potential penalties of life imprisonment will often do almost anything to avoid facing court,” Commander Binstead said.

“But anyone who helps someone leave the country risks being imprisoned for significant periods themselves.

“The AFP has meticulously picked apart the operations of this alleged criminal syndicate facilitating the movement of fugitives and yesterday’s operation is a testament to the skill and dedication of our investigators.”

The Bargara man was the fifth person charged as part of Operation Harrakis, which remains ongoing.

Ryan’s case would return to the court on Friday May 16, 2025.

Originally published as Sean Eamon Ryan charged with allegedly smuggling Sayet Erhan Akca