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Australian terror extremist arrested again

The 25-year-old man was arrested in at his north-west Sydney home in Denistone on Saturday morning.

The 25-year-old man was arrested in at his north-west Sydney home in Denistone on Saturday morning. Photo: AFP

A Sydney-based supporter of Islamic State is back behind bars after allegedly accessing material about beheadings and torture.

Radwan Dakkak, 25, was arrested at his Denistone home on Saturday morning by Australian Federal Police for allegedly breaching a court order restricting his activities.

He allegedly accessed material online that supported the carrying out of executions, beheadings and torture, AFP Acting Commander Alex Nicholson said.

“(Dakkak) has an extremist ideology aligned with the ISIS (Islamic State) terror network,” he said.

Dakkak was released from prison on January 1 after serving an 18-month sentence for two counts of associating with a terrorist organisation.

He pleaded guilty to both counts.

In December, Federal Court Justice David Yates banned Dakkak from using Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and other messaging apps and social media, because of his radicalisation and lack of remorse.

Other elements of the control order include a curfew, reporting requirements, and a prohibition on paid employment without informing the AFP first.

“Prior to his incarceration, Dakkak associated with a number of persons who supported the ideology and activities of Islamic State, both in person, on the telephone and online through social networking platforms,” an appendix to Justice Yates’s reasons stated.

“His network is wide-ranging, and interactions include discussions about extremist ideology and religiously motivated violence, including jihad.”

As a result of the alleged breaches, Dakkak was charged on Saturday with three counts of contravening a control order.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.

Mr Nicholson said officers in his counter-terrorism unit were able to act quickly on the alleged breaches because of their “continued monitoring” of Dakkak’s control order.

“That’s what we do to maintain community safety,” he said.

“No specific or impending threat to the community has been identified in relation to today’s activity or this investigation.”

-AAP

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