A YOUNG South Australian woman accused of pledging allegiance to terrorist organisation Islamic State had been under police surveillance since she tried to leave the country last year.
Ten months after Australian Federal Police first questioned her, the Somali-born 22-year-old student — whose identity is suppressed — was arrested at a western suburbs TAFE yesterday morning.
The Advertiser can reveal the court file supporting the allegations comprises just a half-page of typed paper.
Although the woman, who faces up to 10 years in jail, has been charged with knowingly and intentionally being a member of IS, it is understood she will claim she has been wrongly targeted.
It is understood she has been charged due to her online interactions with people in Kenya, whom she will claim are friends who are not connected with terrorism, but who authorities allege are IS members.
On Tuesday her lawyer, Craig Caldicott, criticised the AFP’s approach to the case.
He said his client was approached in July, briefed counsel in November but still had yet to be provided with any substantial allegations.
“Clearly this has been a long investigation, but the AFP have had 10 months to pull this all together,” he said. “Yet they were unable to provide any paperwork (on Tuesday), and have claimed in court it’s going to take months to complete their investigations.
“She intends to plead not guilty … she is only 22, she’s shocked and she’s scared, and now she’s been remanded in custody.”
The South Australian Joint Counter Terrorism Team started the investigation into the woman, who is an Australian citizen, in July last year when she tried to travel overseas. Her intended destination has not been revealed.
Search warrants were executed on Tuesday morning at a property in Adelaide’s western suburbs and the woman was subsequently charged with being a member of the terror group.
Family and friends at the western suburbs property declined to comment. The Muslim woman is of Somali origin and moved to Australia when she was aged 14.
She faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court just before 4pm on Tuesday. She is charged with one count of knowingly being a member of a terrorist organisation.
Court documents, viewed by The Advertiser allege she committed the offence between May 23 last year and May 23 this year.
In court, Mr Caldicott, for the woman, said he had received “very little information” from prosecutors so far and so could not mount an application for bail.
“I’m instructed she intends to plead not guilty to the charges,” he said.
Geni Tanda, prosecuting, sought a suppression on the woman’s identity. “I’m instructed there are several witness statements from civilian witnesses still outstanding,” she said.
The South Australian woman is taken to the Adelaide Magistrates Court from the watch-house by security officers. Picture: Greg Higgs
“If those details are released or identified by the media, witnesses might be reluctant to provide statements to the police. Those statements will form part of the ultimate brief of evidence.”
Magistrate Jayanthi McGrath suppressed the accused’s name, address and image and remanded her in custody until August.
Authorities stressed the arrest was not linked to the terror attack in Manchester — which has killed at least 22 people and injured 59 — and that there was not an imminent threat in South Australia.
They said the woman was not planning any attack.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Ian McCartney said the arrest highlighted the global nature of terrorism.
Somali President, Mohammed Abdullah Farmajo, has been offered $80 million in exchange for his agreement to sever diplomatic relations with the State...
