“The fact that they’d gone all the way from Melbourne, all the way to far north Queensland, indicates that these people were extremely committed in … their attempt to leave the country,” said AFP Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan. Well, then Gaughan, you caught them in the nick of time! And considering the fact that you aren’t going to keep them in prison for life, what exactly have you done by preventing them from leaving Australia? You’ve only increased the likelihood that they will wage jihad attacks there.
“Five men charged with counter-terrorism offences over alleged boat escape to join fighting in Syria,” by Sam Clark and Dan Oakes, ABC.net.au, May 14, 2016 (thanks to Hugh):
Five Melbourne men have been charged with counter-terrorism offences over an alleged plan to travel to Indonesia by boat and join the fighting in Syria.
Islamic preacher Musa Cerantonio, Shayden Thorne, Kadir Kaya and two others were charged with preparing to enter a foreign country on Tuesday to engage in hostile activities.
They face a maximum penalty of life in prison if found guilty.
The men, aged between 21 and 33 years old, were arrested after they allegedly towed a 7-metre fishing boat from Melbourne towards Cape York.
The group are due to face a Cairns court on Monday where prosecutors are expected to apply for their extradition to Melbourne.
Police would not disclose how long ago the men travelled from Melbourne to northern Australia but believed they were intending to travel through Indonesia and the Philippines to Syria.
AFP Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan on Tuesday said the men were “very committed” to leave the country after previously having their passports cancelled.
“The fact that they’d gone all the way from Melbourne, all the way to far north Queensland, indicates that these people were extremely committed in … their attempt to leave the country,” he said.
AFP allege the men purchased the boat in Melbourne before travelling to Queensland.
Police said they had been investigating the men “for weeks” and there was no domestic terrorism threat arising from the investigation.
In a statement, the AFP said there was “no current or impending threat of a terrorist act to the Australian community arising from this investigation”.
Cerantonio was born into an Italian family in Melbourne’s western suburbs, but converted to Islam at the age of 17….

mustapha crap says
Execute them ALL with hollow points filled with pigs fat and bury them soaked in pigs blood THAT is the only language they understand
Wakeup says
JUst let them go but don’t let them back finito. They will get killed in battle killing other muslims whats not to like about this.
dumbledoresarmy says
Or the Alawites will take them out. Or the Russians. Or even an American drone strike.
Here’s an idea: we let these creeps go, and declare them Exiled and Outlaw, and put a price on their heads and annul their passports.
And, at the same time, to take innocent people out of the way of these ravening wolves, we get in touch with Barnabas Fund and arrange for them to find and vet for us some bona fide Syrian or Iraqi Christian refugees to step into the five places so recently vacated within our territory.
KrazyKafir says
So now the tax payers are on the hook for these Jihadists.
Natalie says
Worse. Some idiot has set up a Facebook page to collect donations for them.
linnte says
No way! Seriously? Has to be a Muslim!
simpleton1 says
Yet he was deported from the Philippines almost 2 years ago, and faced no charges and was only given
and so “the AFP says it will continue to monitor Mr Cerantonio’s “disturbing” social media postings”.
JMB says
It is more than likely that this lightweight open cabin recreational trailer boat would ever have reached Indonesia.(Problem solved) If it had reached Indonesia the five should have been arrested as part of the Australian/Indonesian agreements on stopping terror. Or would Indonesia have been compliant in letting them travel onwards to the ME?
It is also interesting to note that when I search for Jihad Watch using Google Chrome I get an ad from the Australian Government “Terror Watch” web site, as in “If you see something suspicious, report it the the National Security Hot Line.”
It is also quite scary to think occasionally that Australia’s closest neighbour (Indonesia) is the world’s most populous Muslim country. Australia and Indonesia do try and cultivate a close ties in many areas including trade, defence and tourism but when a story like this happens one must really wonder what is really going on.
JMB says
Correction to first sentence, ever should have read never.
JawsV says
Let them leave!!!
Angemon says
Is it life in prison as in “spend the remainder of your natural life inside a jail cell” or life in prison as in “spend a few decades in prison, possibly released sooner for good behaviour”? In any case, a light penalty for treason.
Why not simply let them go and don’t let them back in?
Natalie says
The Australian criminal justice system is a joke. Life in prison doesn’t mean life.
linnte says
Why are countries keeping these people? I don’t get it. Let them leave but don’t let them back in. If they are known to have gone to fight with Jihadis, revoke their citizenship EVEN if they are born there and let them suffer the consequences of their doctrine! If they want to belong to the Islamic State, why should they maintain their citizenship?
Eur says
Muslims belongs to ummah, true are not british, australian…they are muslims… well to collect social assistance they are nationals , true.
William says
If I was the PM of Australia…
I’d PAY them a FREE one-way ticket, let them go if they so wish, but here’s the kicker: They will NEVER be allowed to return to Australia. GOOD RIDDANCE!
robert says
canada should do the same. our politicians just don’t get it or are blindly stupid.especially the liberals under treadeau.
Jihad Joe says
They should have let them leave the country then deny them entry when they try and comeback. No lengthy court costs and simply add them to the drone strike list.
Mark A says
I say let them go and fight for the Islamic State. Then strip them of their Australian citizenship and don’t let them back into Australia.
If they want to go to live in some ISIS hellhole, let them live there. Just don’t let them back into any western country afterwards.
Steve Duke says
Folks, the 21 foot speedboat these nutters had was unseaworthy for a start. Getting to Indonesia by such a boat is a dangerous fantasy.They had to try this stunt with the boat as their passports had been taken away from them. Also their age tells us they are idiots.
Where were they going to get the gallons of petrol they would have needed just to get from Cape Yotk to PNG??? No-one in Far North QLD takes Bitcoin for a start.
As Muslims they are culturally not used to the Ocean let alone Sea Travel-let em drown!