SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

2018 adjournment for NSW 'terror fighter'

A young Sydney father who allegedly travelled to a war-torn Middle Eastern province to fight has had his case delayed until the new year.

Belal Betka
Belal Betka (file) who's accused of going to Syria to fight has delayed his bail application (AAP)

3 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Skip to article content

A young Sydney father charged with terror offences after he allegedly travelled to a Middle Eastern war zone to take up arms has had his case delayed until the new year.

Belal Betka, 25, was arrested on Tuesday morning at Mount Lewis, in Sydney's southwest, where he lives with his mother.

Police allege he travelled to Syria's al-Raqqa province between March and July 2015.

At the time, the federal government had declared the area as a region where a listed terror organisation was engaging in hostile activity.

Betka was expected to appear via video link before magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday for a bail application.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

However, his legal team indicated it would not go ahead and instead sought a date for the brief of evidence to be served.

At his first court appearance at Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday, it was revealed Betka's lawyer, Ivan Sayad, was waiting for a response from a government agency following "a request for information that may assist our case".

Betka did not appear on Thursday and Mr Tsavdaridis adjourned the matter until February 13.

The 25-year-old has been charged with incursion into foreign countries with the intention of engaging in hostile activities and entering and remaining in a declared area.

He is the first Australian-based person to be charged with the incursion offence, according to police.. The crime carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The government's declaration relating to al-Raqqa was lifted last month.

Court documents show Betka is the father of an infant who lives with an ex-partner and also has a domestic-related matter before the courts.

There is "significant evidence" supporting Betka's active involvement in the terrorism offence, according to the file.

Betka is further accused of dealing in the proceeds of crime, relating to property worth more than $1 million, in late October this year.

A police investigation into the alleged money laundering resulted in the arrest of three people including 26-year-old Fouad Moussa, who was also charged with dealing in the proceeds of crime.

Moussa now faces additional charges including drug offences.

He was granted bail at Bankstown Local Court on Thursday on strict conditions including that he report daily to police and not leave home unless in the direct company of his father.

A $50,000 surety was offered and Moussa was banned from going near international airports and contacting witnesses.

The matter was adjourned to February 13 at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world