Vahid Alzubayedi: Australian Federal Police call in ‘expert’ in alleged banned Hezbollah flag case

Police have called in “expert analysis” in their case against a man accused of waving a terror group’s flag during a pro-Palestine rally.

The Australian Federal Police has been given three months to engage an “expert” in its case against a man accused of waving a terrorist flag at a Melbourne rally.

Vahid Alzubayedi, 37, was charged with one count of public display of a terrorist organisation symbol, being a Hezbollah flag, on December 13 last year.

He appeared for the first time in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for a brief administrative hearing as prosecutors requested the case be adjourned for 12 weeks.

Vahid Alzubayedi is charged with displaying a Hezbollah flag. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Probed on why they wanted such a long delay by magistrate Brett Sonnet, the court was told the “AFP is currently engaging in expert witness” after issues were raised by the defence.

“I recently heard a similar case, I didn’t find anything particularly complex with that,” Mr Sonnet responded before agreeing to the adjournment.

Police allege Mr Alzubayedi, of Ferntree Gully, displayed a Hezbollah flag during a pro-Palestine rally in Melbourne’s CBD on September 29 last year.

Images of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah were displayed at a Sydney rally on September 29, 2024, days after his death. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

The same weekend, Hezbollah, designated as a terror group by the Australian government in 2021, confirmed its leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike in Lebanon’s capital Beirut.

New parliamentary laws were introduced in January 2024 prohibiting the public display of Nazi or terror symbols, including Hezbollah, with a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The alleged display of banned flags at rallies was referred to the AFP by Victoria Police, which established Operation Ardvarna to probe the matter.

“More than 1100 hours has been spent investigating this matter, including reviewing more than 100 hours of CCTV evidence,” AFP Counter Terrorism Commander Nick Read said in December.

Mr Alzubayedi will return to court on June 2.

Originally published as Vahid Alzubayedi: Australian Federal Police call in ‘expert’ in alleged banned Hezbollah flag case