TLDR
A 65-year-old Carlton man faces five charges, including membership of Islamic State, after allegedly sharing about 10,000 extremist files online over several years. An airport phone seizure in 2020 triggered the investigation. Police say there is no planned attack and no ongoing threat to the community.
A phone at the airport, and six years later an arrest
Counter-terrorism investigations rarely announce their origins with any drama, and this one is no exception. On 21 November 2020, Australian Border Force officers intercepted a 65-year-old Carlton man at Melbourne International Airport, examined his luggage, took his handset, and referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police.[1] Forensic analysis of that device set in motion nearly six years of counter-terrorism work.
On 23 September 2026, members of the Victoria Joint Counter Terrorism Team executed a search warrant at the man's Carlton home and arrested him.[1] Police have not published his name in connection with the charges at this stage of proceedings.
What the files contained
Forensic analysis revealed the man viewed and shared about 10,000 extremist files between November 2015 and July 2020, including videos and images of executions and torture, ISIS propaganda, and guides on avoiding detection.[1] The volume and variety of that material forms the backbone of the prosecution's case.
AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Paula Hudson said the content served a deliberate purpose. "The material allegedly shared by this man glorified acts of extreme violence and promoted a terrorist organisation, spreading a hateful ideology that's designed to radicalise others," Hudson said.[1] Hudson said ISIS relies on online platforms to distribute propaganda and recruit supporters, with content engineered to encourage extremist beliefs and acts of violence.
The charges and their weight
The man now faces five separate charges in total. One count of membership of a terrorist organisation under section 102.3(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 carries a maximum penalty of ten years' imprisonment.[2] Three counts of using a carriage service to transmit violent extremist material under section 474.17(1) each carry a maximum of five years,[3] and a fifth charge of possessing or controlling violent extremist material obtained via a carriage service under section 474.45C(1) carries the same maximum term.[4]
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Crime and Counter Terrorism Investigation Services Martin O'Brien said authorities will act when these crimes are identified and hold offenders to account.[1]
How the investigation developed
The 2020 airport referral opened the file, but the investigation did not close quickly. A further search warrant executed in 2024 produced additional electronic devices, which were submitted for forensic examination.[1] The accumulated forensic picture across two seizures underpins the five charges now before the court.
Police were explicit that the case carries no wider immediate risk, with no link to a planned attack and no ongoing threat to the community.[1] The man is due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on 25 November 2026.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Margaret Hale writes about politics, policy and the culture of business. She is drawn to the people behind decisions and to the moments when a political story turns out to be a human one.
