A 65-year-old Carlton man has been charged over an alleged role in distributing Islamic State propaganda from Australia, in an investigation that began with an interception at Melbourne Airport almost six years ago.
He was arrested at a home in Carlton on Wednesday by the Victoria Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which brings together the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and ASIO. Officers executed a search warrant at the property and seized a mobile phone.
He was charged that day and appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that afternoon. He was remanded in custody overnight, and a bail application was listed for Thursday.
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The Charges
He faces five charges under the Criminal Code (Cth). One is membership of a terrorist organisation, ISIS, under section 102.3(1). Three of them are counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence by transmitting violent extremist material, under section 474.17(1). The remaining count is possessing or controlling violent extremist material obtained using a carriage service, under section 474.45C(1).
Maximum penalties for the offences include ten years’ imprisonment.
The matter is next listed in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. Court processes of this kind stretch well beyond a first appearance, and a separate case, in which a former CFMEU leader was charged over alleged threatening emails in November last year, is still continuing.
How the Investigation Began
Australian Border Force officers intercepted the man at Melbourne International Airport on 21 November 2020, ahead of a planned flight to Egypt. They found suspicious content on his phone, and the AFP seized the device.
A further search warrant in 2024 yielded additional electronic devices, and the investigation continued until Wednesday’s arrest.
What the AFP Alleges
The AFP alleges the man pledged allegiance to ISIS and acted as an online propagandist from Australia.
Police allege that between November 2015 and July 2020 he sent about 10,000 files of extremist material on an encrypted messaging platform. The material allegedly included videos, images, audio, documents and messages, among them depictions of executions and torture and ISIS battlefield propaganda.
Investigators also allege the files included advice on avoiding detection by law enforcement and instructional guides on planning mass-casualty attacks. Police allege he was one of the principal distributors of ISIS propaganda within the group on the platform.
What Police Said
In a statement announcing the charges, AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Paula Hudson said: “The material allegedly shared by this man glorified acts of extreme violence and promoted a terrorist organisation.”
“Terrorist organisations like ISIS rely on online platforms to distribute propaganda and recruit supporters,” she said.
Police said there is no ongoing threat to the public and that the man is not alleged to have been planning any attacks. They said they are working with international partners.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Martin O’Brien said: “Alongside our JCTT partners, the priority for Victoria Police is to ensure the safety of our community.”
“It is an offence to access or share violent extremist material and authorities will act when these crimes are identified,” he said.
Police directed anyone with information to the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400 and Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Where the Case Goes Next
The bail application listed for Thursday is the next step. The matter then returns to the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, the investigation continues, and police have not ruled out further arrests.
The man is presumed innocent. Police say the public is not at risk while the matter proceeds, and none of the allegations has been tested.
Sources: Australian Federal Police, “Melbourne man charged for alleged ISIS membership as local propagandist”, 23 September 2026; ABC News, “Alleged ISIS member charged in Melbourne”, 23 September 2026; Nine News, “Australian man arrested for allegedly helping ISIS by sending 10,000 files of propaganda”, 23 September 2026; SBS News, “Man charged over alleged terrorist organisation links”, 23 September 2026; 7NEWS, “Man accused of spreading ISIS propaganda set to make bail plea”, 24 September 2026
Photo: Orderinchaos, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Illustrative: a Carlton street in inner Melbourne, where the man was arrested on 23 September 2026. This is a photograph of the suburb, not of the address, the scene or any person involved.
