One of the men arrested in this morning's anti-terrorism raids in Sydney has appeared in court charged with preparing for or planning a terrorist act.
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Prosecutors allege that he was part of a plan to commit an act to "shock, horrify and terrify" the community.
Omarjan Azari, 22, from Guildford in Sydney's west, appeared briefly in the dock before his barrister requested that he be taken back down to the cells.
Azari appeared in court wearing a dark fleece jumper.
Commonwealth Prosecutor Michael Allnutt told Central Local Court that the allegations against the accused were "very very serious" and involved "an unusual level of fanaticism" such that he could not be relied upon to "meet any court order".
He said that Mr Azari was part of a plan earlier this year to commit an "extremely serious offence" that was done "with the knowledge of police surveillance conducted at that time".
The court heard the evidence took the form of one intercepted phone call between May 8 and September 18 to which Mr Azari was a party.
Court documents show that Mr Azari is accused of conspriring with "Mohammad Baryalei and others to act in preparation or plan a terrorist act or acts".
Mr Allnutt said "there was a clear imperative to commit an act to shock, horrify and terrify the community as a whole".
The plan involved the "random selection of persons to rather gruesomely execute", he said.
He said Mr Azari had access to cash and the matter involved "an unusual level of fanaticism".
Mr Allnutt said the immediate catalyst for Mr Azari's arrest was a phone call that took place "only a couple of days ago".
"There's been an immediate reaction to a clear and imperative danger," he said.
This reaction was a reference to the raids across Sydney and Brisbane.
But the accused's barrister, Steven Boland, said "the allegation is based on one phone call of very limited compass that federal police have put forward".
Mr Boland, hired by Legal Aid NSW to represent Mr Azari, did not apply for bail on behalf of his client, and bail was automatically refused.
The matter will return to court in six weeks.
Mr Allnutt said the immediate catalyst for Mr Azari's arrest was a phone call which took place "only a couple of days ago".
"There's been an immediate reaction to a clear and imperative danger."
This reaction was a reference to the raids across Sydney and Brisbane.
But the accused's barrister, Steven Boland, said "the allegation is based on one phone call of very limited compass that Federal Police have put forward".
Mr Boland, hired by Legal Aid NSW to represent Mr Azari did not apply for bail on behalf of his client, and bail was this automatically refused.
The matter will return to court in six weeks.
Mr Allnutt said the immediate catalyst for Mr Azari's arrest was a phone call which took place "only a couple of days ago".
"There's been an immediate reaction to a clear and imperative danger."
This reaction was a reference to the raids across Sydney and Brisbane.
But the accused's barrister, Steven Boland, said "the allegation is based on one phone call of very limited compass that Federal Police have put forward".
Mr Boland, hired by Legal Aid NSW to represent Mr Azari did not apply for bail on behalf of his client, and bail was this automatically refused.
The matter will return to court in six weeks.
smh.com.au
