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Islamic State member proposed Blue Mountains as attack launch-pad

Jul 4, 2019

SYDNEY, Australia – A 20-year old youth who has described himself as the “general commander of IS Australia” proposed setting up a base in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, from which he planned to stage terrorist attacks across Sydney.

The man, Isaac el Matari, a member of Islamic State, was arrested on Tuesday following a series of raids across Western Sydney.

Two other men associated with el Matari were also arrested.

Court documents tendered before the Parramatta Local Court in Sydney on Thursday revealed el Matari, a resident of the western Sydney suburb of Greenacre, considered himself and the other two men arrested as “terrorists.” They say he wanted to go to Afghanistan to fight alongside Islamic State.

His plans to establish a hub in the Blue Mountains resulted in him acquiring firearms and U.S. army uniforms. He planned on bringing in large quanitites of TNT and firearms to equip Islamic State fighters who would be housed at his Blue Mountains base.

El Matari allegedly was considering a number of prominent sites across Sydney, including landmarks, to carry out attacks.

Police stressed that no particular target had been identified, and there was no threat to security at any location at the time of el Matari’s arrest.

Court documents show he visited the Pakistan Consulate in Sydney to obtain a visa and booked flights to the Pakistani capital Islamabad at a Flight Centre store in Penrith.

Police allege he planned to be smuggled across the Pakistan/Afghan border into Khorasan province, which is considered an Islamic State stronghold in war-torn Afghanistan.

El Matari did not make an appearance at Thursday’s hearing which was for mention only. His next court appearance will be on 30 August. He has been charged with one count of acts in preparation for a terrorist act, and one count of engage in preparations for incursions into foreign countries for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities. The maximum penalty for these offence is life imprisonment. He has also been charged with being a member of a terrorist organisation, namely Islamic State. The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years imprisonment.

One of el Matari’s associates, Radwan Dakkak, 23, from Toongabbie, who was also arrested on Tuesday has been charged with being a member of terrorist organisation Islamic State.

The other man arrested on Tuesday, Ahmad Tebya, 20, has been charged with obtaining a financial benefit by deception. He was granted conditional bail to appear in court later in July.

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