Melbourne man accused of distributing 10,000 Islamic State propaganda files

Islamic State propaganda counter-terrorism Melbourne arrest extremist content Australian Federal Police

An Australian man in Melbourne has been arrested and charged for allegedly acting as a principal distributor of Islamic State (ISIS) propaganda. The 65-year-old is accused of pledging allegiance to the terrorist group and distributing approximately 10,000 files via an encrypted messaging app between 2015 and 2020.

The material allegedly included videos and images of executions, torture, and mass murder, as well as instructional guides on planning mass-casualty attacks and methods for evading law enforcement detection. Acting Assistant Commissioner Paula Hudson stated that the scale of the distribution was intended to radicalize others and glorify acts of terrorism.

The investigation reportedly began in 2020 after border officials discovered suspicious material on the man's electronic devices during a trip to Egypt. The accused faces charges including membership of a terrorist organization and transmitting violent extremist material, with a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison.

Entities

Australian Federal Police · Carlton · Islamic State · Melbourne · Paula Hudson

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 11 SOURCES] The 65-year-old man faces charges including membership of a terrorist organization and transmitting violent extremist material. www.europesays.com · offthepress.com · islamabadpost.com.pk · www.arabnews.pk · www.epochtimes.com · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] The shared material included instructional guides on planning mass casualty attacks and avoiding law enforcement detection. www.europesays.com · offthepress.com · islamabadpost.com.pk · www.arabnews.pk · www.epochtimes.com · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] The accused allegedly shared approximately 10,000 files containing extremist content between 2015 and 2020. www.europesays.com · offthepress.com · islamabadpost.com.pk · www.arabnews.pk · www.epochtimes.com · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] The investigation began in 2020 after border officials found suspicious material on the man's devices during a trip to Egypt. www.europesays.com · offthepress.com · islamabadpost.com.pk · www.arabnews.pk · www.epochtimes.com · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] A 65-year-old man in Melbourne is accused of being a principal distributor of Islamic State propaganda. www.europesays.com · offthepress.com · islamabadpost.com.pk · www.arabnews.pk · www.epochtimes.com · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] The maximum penalty for the offenses is 10 years in prison. www.europesays.com · offthepress.com · islamabadpost.com.pk · www.arabnews.pk · internewscast.com · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] The accused allegedly used an encrypted messaging app to distribute the material. www.europesays.com · offthepress.com · islamabadpost.com.pk · www.arabnews.pk · www.smh.com.au · +6 more
[● 11 SOURCES] The man was arrested at his home in Carlton, Melbourne. www.smh.com.au · www.perthnow.com.au · thenightly.com.au · theqldr.com.au · thewest.com.au · +6 more
[● 10 SOURCES] A 65-year-old Melbourne man is accused of being a principal distributor of Islamic State propaganda. www.europesays.com · offthepress.com · islamabadpost.com.pk · www.arabnews.pk · www.epochtimes.com · +5 more