Seven men allegedly recruited to fight in Syria could have intended to go to the conflict-plagued country to help citizens rather than fight, a court has heard.
Hamdi Alqudsi, 41, has pleaded not guilty to numerous counts of performing services for a person with the intent to promote or support foreign hostile acts.
The Crown alleges Alqudsi was in contact with people in Syria when he organised men to fly to Turkey and cross into the conflict-plagued country in 2013.
During his opening address at the NSW Supreme Court in Parramatta on Wednesday, defence barrister Scott Corish implored the jurors not to jump to conclusions.
Mr Corish said millions of citizens had become in need of humanitarian aid since conflict began in the country.
"Syria isn't just full of people engaged in armed combat," he said.
"Could there be another reason to go and somehow help these people?"
Four of the men allegedly assisted by Alqudsi travelled on two separate flights to Istanbul in mid-2013 before travelling to the Turkey-Syria border.
Crown prosecutor David Staehli SC said intercepted conversations show Alqudsi and a man in the region talked about tanks being blown up and people being killed.
The accused man also allegedly said the had four brothers or boys coming to that part of the world, Mr Staehli said.
The court heard the other three men, including one that was stopped at the airport as he tried to leave the country, had organised their travel as individuals.
Mr Staehli said the Crown did not have to prove which of the numerous armed groups in Syria the men had been allegedly trying to fight for.
He said all that mattered was that Alqudsi intended to help them achieve the goal of engaging in foreign armed conflict.
"What's being prosecuted here isn't Mr Alqudsi's direct involvement in bearing arms," he said.
The court heard most of the evidence at trial would consist of recorded conversations in English and Arabic.
"Jihadi literature" seized during the execution of search warrants on two premises as well as text, WhatsApp and Skype messages would also be tendered, Mr Staehli said.
The trial continues.
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