Man charged with possessing extremist materials in Australia
In Melbourne, Australia, federal police detained a 30-year-old man at an international airport and charged him with possessing violent extremist materials. According to police, he was detained overnight before a planned flight to the Middle East.
Alleged link to an online network
According to ABC News, the detained man lives in Roxburgh Park in northern Melbourne. The Australian Federal Police said he was allegedly a member of a group chat with other men where violent extremist materials were shared.
Australian Federal Police Commander Paula Hudson said law enforcement believes the man was involved in a specialised online network in Australia whose members shared and distributed violent extremist materials, including Islamic State propaganda.
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Access to electronic devices
Police also said that after his detention, the man refused to give law enforcement access to his electronic devices despite being presented with a court order. He was also charged with refusing to provide such access.
The maximum penalty for possessing violent extremist materials is up to five years in prison. The man is expected to appear in court later that day. He became the sixth resident of the state of Victoria to be charged by the Australian Federal Police's national security investigations team in recent months.
