27/06/23
Agim Ajazi sentenced on three terrorism charges linked to Syrian Civil War involvement
A Gold Coast man who fought with a terrorist organisation in Syria will remain behind bars for more than eight years.
Agim Ajazi, 34, was sentenced in Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to three terrorism charges linked to his involvement in the Syrian Civil War.
An investigation by the Queensland Joint Counter Terrorism Team found that Ajazi had engaged in armed conflict in a bid to overthrow the Assad regime as part of a group aligned with proscribed terrorist organisation Jabhat Al-Nusra.
Ajazi was also advocating acts of terrorism in the West.
Ajazi had left Australia in 2013 and travelled to Turkiye before he made multiple trips into Syria between 2014 and 2016.
He was later detained in Turkiye in 2018 and held in custody before he was deported to Australia in December 2019.
He pleaded guilty in November to one count each of advocating terrorism, engaging in hostile activity and engaging in hostile activities in a foreign country.
Justice Sue Brown sentenced Ajazi on Tuesday to eight years and two months prison with a non-parole period of six years and 45 days.
She also ordered the 3½ years Ajazi has already spent in custody as time served.
Outside court, AFP Assistant Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the AFP had worked closely with Queensland Police to provide the unique ability to reach across international borders to investigate and prosecute terrorists.
“This investigation was long and complex, involving law enforcement partners here in Australia and overseas in the Middle East,” she said.
“The safety of the Australian community is always our prime concern and this result shows the AFP’s ongoing commitment to protecting Australians from the threat of violent extremism.”
QPS Security and Counter-Terrorism Command Acting Assistant Commissioner Christopher Jory said “combating terrorism and violent extremism is a global challenge and one which we cannot defeat alone”.
“We rely of the cooperative efforts of our national and international partners to keep the community safe,” he said.
“I commend the dedication and professionalism of our counter-terrorism investigation teams and their commitment to disrupting and apprehending those who advocate or participate in terrorism and violent extremist activities.”
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