Australian charged after police say he planned to fight IS

[webfact]

Australian charged after police say he planned to fight IS

SYDNEY (AP) — An Australian man appeared in court Tuesday on terror charges after police say he tried to join Kurdish-aligned forces battling the Islamic State group in Iraq.

Jamie Williams, 28, was stopped by customs agents as he was boarding a flight to Qatar at Melbourne airport in December after military-style equipment and clothing were found in his luggage, the Australian Federal Police and Immigration Department said in a statement. He was charged with making preparations for incursions into a foreign country for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities.

Williams did not apply for bail in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, and was remanded to custody until his next court appearance in October. If convicted, he faces a maximum punishment of life in prison.

Outside court, his lawyer Rob Stary said Williams would apply for bail soon. He declined to comment further.

Williams' court appearance comes one day after an Australian nurse appeared in the same court on a charge of supporting a terrorist group. Adam Brookman, 39, voluntarily returned to Australia from Turkey on Friday after he says he was forced by Islamic State militants to work as a medic in Syria.

The Islamic State group has been particularly effective at recruiting followers in Australia. The London-based International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence estimates that between 100 and 250 Australians have joined Sunni militants in Iraq and Syria, a relatively high number given Australia's population of just 24 million.

In a bid to stem the flow of foreign fighters heading to the Middle East, Australia made it a criminal offense for its citizens to travel to certain parts of Iraq and Syria that are held by Islamic State movement fighters. The government has also canceled the passports of people it believes are planning to join the fight in the Middle East.

In Williams' case, police say he was planning to fight alongside Kurds who are battling to win back territory that Islamic State militants have seized. Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan said traveling to Syria and Iraq to support either side of the conflict is illegal.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-07-28

[RickBradford]

In a bid to stem the flow of foreign fighters heading to the Middle East, Australia made it a criminal offense for its citizens to travel to certain parts of Iraq and Syria that are held by Islamic State movement fighters. The government has also canceled the passports of people it believes are planning to join the fight in the Middle East

The government should be chartering airplanes to take them to IS territory. Let them apply at Centrelink.

[Linky]

In a bid to stem the flow of foreign fighters heading to the Middle East, Australia made it a criminal offense for its citizens to travel to certain parts of Iraq and Syria that are held by Islamic State movement fighters. The government has also canceled the passports of people it believes are planning to join the fight in the Middle East

The government should be chartering airplanes to take them to IS territory. Let them apply at Centrelink.

You do realise he wanted to go fight AGAINST ISIS not with them.

[Seastallion]

So, fighting against ISIS, the beheaders, is illegal.

I can understand that laws are made, and applying the letter of the law means some people appear to break the law....but that is when "spirit of the law" should come into play. Australians going to join the IDF enjoy that blind eye.

[simple1]

So, fighting against ISIS, the beheaders, is illegal.

I can understand that laws are made, and applying the letter of the law means some people appear to break the law....but that is when "spirit of the law" should come into play. Australians going to join the IDF enjoy that blind eye.

There is no 'blind eye', Australians are permitted to join 'friendly' foreign government armed forces.

Although the Kurdish Autonomous Regional government has applied for diplomatic recognition, as far as I know the various Kurdish regional ethnic groups do not have a government recognised by Australia. At least one group, PKK, is a proscribed terrorist organisation

Edited July 28, 2015 by simple1

[DirtyDan]

So now ever swinging Jackaroo and his Sheila have to pay taxes to support this guy behind bars? Better to let him go to his war games if that's what he wants.

[thaibeachlovers]

So, fighting against ISIS, the beheaders, is illegal.

I can understand that laws are made, and applying the letter of the law means some people appear to break the law....but that is when "spirit of the law" should come into play. Australians going to join the IDF enjoy that blind eye.

The Oz governing class loves Israel, so that is why. Nothing surprises me any more about Australia. They used to be a great country once, but now just a PC obsessed sad bunch of lefty liberals. Even Abbott can't sort it.

They should be giving him a free ticket to Iraq.

[Linky]

Not sure if it is about fighting for the Kurds. Think it is more to do with The oz govt has banned its citizens from going to Iraq.

[thaibeachlovers]

So, fighting against ISIS, the beheaders, is illegal.

I can understand that laws are made, and applying the letter of the law means some people appear to break the law....but that is when "spirit of the law" should come into play. Australians going to join the IDF enjoy that blind eye.

There is no 'blind eye', Australians are permitted to join 'friendly' foreign government armed forces.

Although the Kurdish Autonomous Regional government has applied for diplomatic recognition, as far as I know the various Kurdish regional ethnic groups do not have a government recognised by Australia. At least one group, PKK, is a proscribed terrorist organisation

Ever hear "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". Oz has got into bed with unsavoury characters in the past.

As for the PKK, the Turk's terrorist is another country's freedom fighter.

IMO the Oz government is stopping him because they are bending over and taking it from the Turks. At least the US is not sucking up to Turkey and the US does not stop it's citizens going to assist the Kurds.

[simple1]

Not sure if it is about fighting for the Kurds. Think it is more to do with The oz govt has banned its citizens from going to Iraq.

Another Australian recently returned after being with Kurdish forces and wasn't prosecuted. Another was recently killed fighting alongside the Kurds & his body was repatriated to Oz.

Only some areas in Iraq & Syria are forbidden e.g. Raqqa.

[malcoml]

This is rubbish.

ISIS is an enemy of Australia this guy should be given assistance to fight them rather than being locked up for it.

[BKKBobby]

In my home country there are Kurds that travel to Iraq to join Peshmerga and fight against ISIS. Theres no government agency that prevents it nor critizes it. Its a problem if the individuals loyalty goes to the group hes fighting for instead of his home country.

Edited July 28, 2015 by BKKBobby

[wabothai]

he could very well be lying and planning to join IS.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies removed.

[Linky]

he could very well be lying and planning to join IS.

Not likely. The police have gone through all his messages etc and they are convinced he was trying to get to a City controlled by Kurds. But oz citizens are banned from entering there.

Police are satisfied he was trying to fight ISIS and he has been charged as thus.

[Seastallion]

So, fighting against ISIS, the beheaders, is illegal.

I can understand that laws are made, and applying the letter of the law means some people appear to break the law....but that is when "spirit of the law" should come into play. Australians going to join the IDF enjoy that blind eye.

There is no 'blind eye', Australians are permitted to join 'friendly' foreign government armed forces.

Although the Kurdish Autonomous Regional government has applied for diplomatic recognition, as far as I know the various Kurdish regional ethnic groups do not have a government recognised by Australia. At least one group, PKK, is a proscribed terrorist organisation

The same PKK that the US is givings arms and assistance to in their fight against ISIS?

So, the US is supporting what Australia has proscribed a terrorist organisation...where does that leave Aus-US diplomatic relations?

Oh what a tangled web has been woven.

[simple1]

So, fighting against ISIS, the beheaders, is illegal.

I can understand that laws are made, and applying the letter of the law means some people appear to break the law....but that is when "spirit of the law" should come into play. Australians going to join the IDF enjoy that blind eye.

There is no 'blind eye', Australians are permitted to join 'friendly' foreign government armed forces.

Although the Kurdish Autonomous Regional government has applied for diplomatic recognition, as far as I know the various Kurdish regional ethnic groups do not have a government recognised by Australia. At least one group, PKK, is a proscribed terrorist organisation

The same PKK that the US is givings arms and assistance to in their fight against ISIS?

So, the US is supporting what Australia has proscribed a terrorist organisation...where does that leave Aus-US diplomatic relations?

Oh what a tangled web has been woven.

I believe PKK is a proscribed terrorist organisation by both Oz and USA, I guess support provided as a lesser immediate evil to Daesh. However, assessment of PKK other activities by Oz government isn't rosy.

PKK derives most of its financial resources from drug trafficking, which is reported to generate hundreds of millions of US dollars for the group. At different times, the PKK is assessed to have controlled up to 80 per cent of the European illicit drug market. The PKK also generates income through extortion, illegal immigration, human trafficking, money laundering and prostitution rackets.

http://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/Listedterroristorganisations/Pages/KurdistanWorkersPartyPKK.aspx