Aussie faces terror charges after being blocked from flying

SYDNEY: A Sydney man has been charged with allegedly planning terrorism acts after he was stopped from travelling to Bangladesh following a luggage search, police said.

Nowroz Amin, 26, was blocked from flying in February 2016 after officials at Sydney Airport found clothing and material on electronic devices that “indicated his support for extremist ideology”, the Australian federal police said yesterday.

After a “lengthy” and “complex” investigation, he was arrested on Sydney’s outskirts by counterterrorism officers on Saturday.

Police allege Amin was “planning to travel to Bangladesh to meet with people who held similar beliefs and to possibly engage in terrorist acts outside of Australia”.

He was charged with three offences, including preparing for incursions into foreign countries for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities, and acts done in preparation for terrorist acts.

Two of the charges carry maximum penalties of life imprisonment.

Amin did not apply for bail in a Sydney court yesterday.

He is due to return to court in August.

Police did not say where Amin had allegedly planned terrorist acts, but said there was no current threat to the community.

The country has introduced sweeping counterterrorism laws since 2014 that include blocking alleged extremists from going overseas. — AFP