A magistrate has refused bail to a Melbourne man accused of taking part in a plot to flee Australia by boat to fight with Islamic State terrorists.
Murat Kaya, 25, is charged with making preparations for incursions into foreign countries for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities.He faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court again on Friday by video-link from prison.Court documents allege that Kaya helped buy a seven-metre boat on Gumtree, a classified advertisement website.
The boat was allegedly towed to North Queensland by five other men, including Kaya’s brother, with the plan of travelling to Syria via Indonesia and the Philippines.The men were arrested by police. Detailed maps northern Australia, South-East Asia and the Philippines were allegedly found in the boat, along with US currency, military knives and medical supplies.
Kaya was later arrested at his home in Melbourne and declined to answer questions from police.Kaya’s lawyers argued there were “exceptional circumstances” to support his release on bail, including hardship to his wife and child from an extended period in custody.But Magistrate Belinda Wallington refused bail, saying a “high hurdle” had to be met in terror offenses. Kaya remains in custody along with his co-accused to face a contested committal hearing next year.
