An Afghan man who was planning to travel to Afghanistan has been arrested at Melbourne Airport in Australia for allegedly possessing violent extremist content on his phone.
The Australian media outlet ABC reported on Sunday, September 13, that the man, identified as Mohammad Ahmadzai, is 30 years old and lives in northern Melbourne.
According to the report, a Melbourne court said the man’s seized phone contained violent extremist material, including videos depicting beheadings.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have charged the Afghan national with possessing violent material and failing to cooperate with police. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Australian police said the man was a member of a chat group with other men who, according to police, shared violent extremist material.
Meanwhile, the Melbourne court said he had planned to travel to Afghanistan via the United Arab Emirates to visit his sick father. He was questioned by Australian Border Force officers and subsequently arrested.
The court denied him bail over concerns that he might leave Australia. He is due to appear in court on Tuesday.
