Accused Islamist terrorist wanted to ignite bushfires in Australia, court hears

An accused terrorist had instructional material on how to make a remote control bomb that would ignite a bushfire in Australia, a court has heard.

Adnan Karabegovic, 24, of Officer, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday on six counts of collecting documents connected with a terrorist act and six counts of possessing documents connected to a terrorist act.

The court heard Mr Karabegovic had copies of an al-Qaeda magazine, Inspire, on his laptop and on a USB device found in his pocket when arrested after his home was raided last September.

The accused's home was one of at least 11 properties across Melbourne's south-east that were raided on September 12 by the Australian Federal Police.

Advertisement  

The court heard Inspire was published on the Arabian peninsula for those who declare an "open jihad" and as a "resource manual for those who loathe the tyrants".

Articles in six issues of the magazine in Mr Karabegovic's possession focused on handgun training, poisoning water supplies, making a bomb that would ignite a bushfire and a list of countries at war with Muslims.

Other articles specifically instructed how to make bombs out of common kitchen ingredients, welding blades on to the front of a four-wheel-drive to attack people and the best shooting positions for an AK-47 assault rifle at the Sydney Opera House.

The court heard that in addition to the magazine articles, Mr Karabegovic was overheard by the AFP in telephone conversations with another man saying he wanted to "make a plan and stick to it".

He also spoke of being prepared for war, being happy in jail, of plans to modify items bought at Bunnings into weapons and of his hope to travel to Bosnia for training, the court was told.

It is also alleged he was involved in hanging a banner over a building which read: "Get your troops out of Muslim lands you dirty convict pigs".

Prosecutor Daniel Gurvich said Mr Karabegovic, when questioned by the AFP, said he thought he had deleted the files from his laptop, and had not looked at articles for months.

He told officers he did not read the instructional articles, but only opinion pieces by commentators.

The committal hearing before magistrate Cathie Lamble was told four witnesses would give evidence: a digital forensic investigator, a translator and two AFP agents.

The hearing continues.