Accused terrorist Omarjan Azari stuck in Supermax after judge rejects bail application
THE man accused of conspiring to plan a terrorist attack on Australian soil has been refused bail and will remain behind bars at Goulburn’s Supermax.
Omarjan Azari, 23, had tried to secure his conditional release in the Supreme Court last month, following previous unsuccessful applications in the local court.
His counsel Winston Terracini SC had said it was unreasonable that Azari was being held at Supermax when he hasn’t been convicted of any offence and is subject to tight restrictions including limited visitors and a ban on speaking Arabic.
Azari is charged with conspiracy to murder, do act in preparation or planning for a terrorist act and making funds available to a terrorist organisation.
The court has previously heard Azari had been instructed to find people who would be killed in a public execution.
Justice Peter Garling said in his judgment today Azari hadn’t shown “exceptional circumstances exist (to justify his release). The application for bail is dismissed”.
He said he considered the Crown case to be “reasonably strong, I certainly wouldn’t regard it as being weak”.
The court has heard details of a phone call that allegedly took place between Azari and Australian IS kingpin Mohammad Baryalei shortly before Azari’s arrest on September 18 last year.
It is alleged Baryalei instructed his young charge to “find someone who will terminate five persons a month” and said there should be “videos” made of the executions.
“So it will make worldwide news, Allah willing,” Baryalei allegedly said as Azari allegedly replied “Yep” and “Yeah.” “I need boys … I need someone who has heart.”
At a separate bail application earlier this year the court was told Azari was urged by Baryalei, thought to have since been killed in Syria, to “pick a random unbeliever” and publicly execute them.
“Finish him, finish her … put the flag of the (Islamic) state in the background,” Baryalei is alleged to have said.
The court heard Baryalei said it would serve as a message: “As you kill our people, we will also kill your people one by one.”
Azari’s solicitor Benjamin Archbold this morning tried to have the case adjourned, as some prosecution material was only served on them a few days ago, but Justice Garling ordered the case to proceed.
Azari will next face Central Local Court on September 23.