Convicted terrorist jailed for breaching Control Order

A convicted terrorist offender was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment by the Parramatta District Court yesterday (29 November 2021) for repeatedly breaching a Federal Court of Australia Control Order.

The 24-year-old Sydney woman, who pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to comply with the order – including by misusing her permitted mobile phone – is the first person convicted of contravening a post-custodial Control Order.

The Control Order, which was applied for by the Australian Federal Police and granted by the Federal Court of Australia, outlines conditions imposed on her when she was released from custody in December 2019.

She served almost four years’ jail for conspiracy to do acts in preparation for a terrorist act after she attempted to acquire firearms to carry out a domestic terror attack on a Sydney shopping centre.

In July 2020, just six months after her release from prison, the AFP High Risk Terrorism Offenders team arrested and charged the woman with repeatedly contravening conditions of the Control Order.

This included misuse of her mobile phone and requesting other people to use the social media platform WhatsApp on her behalf.

She has been in custody since her arrest last year and the sentence was backdated to reflect time served, so she was released from prison yesterday (29 November 2021).

AFP Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee said Control Orders are among the legislative measures used by authorities to protect the community from terrorism, by restricting certain actions and imposing other obligations on those subject to the orders.

“The AFP’s High Risk Terrorism Offenders teams around Australia work tirelessly with our partner agencies to ensure community safety and we take seriously any breach of a Control Order,” he said. “This sentencing shows any violation of these orders can attract a jail term.

“This is a very good outcome for the community and demonstrates the commitment of the AFP and our Commonwealth and State partners to keeping Australians and Australia’s interests safe.”

About 70 per cent of convicted terrorist offenders released on Control Orders since 2019 have been prosecuted for contravening their orders.

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