An alleged people smuggler accused of organising a journey from Indonesia that ended with hundreds of people drowning at sea has been refused bail because he might flee Australia.
Maythem Kamil Radhi appeared before Brisbane Magistrate Annette Hennessy on Wednesday, when she refused bail, saying there was "substantial motivation" for Radhi to leave Australia.
He is charged with harbouring an unlawful non-citizen, a removee or deportee over his alleged involvement in the 2001 people-smuggling operation that led to 353 adults and children drowning.
He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted over charges of "organising groups of non-citizens into Australia".
Police allege Maythem Radhi took payments from asylum seekers to secure their place on the SIEV-X in 2001. Source: Australian Federal Police
The 43-year-old was arrested last month at Brisbane airport after being extradited from New Zealand.
Police claim he was part of a syndicate that charged 421 mostly Iraqi and Afghan refugees for a place aboard an Indonesian fishing boat known by Australian authorities as SIEV-X in 2001.
The vessel sunk in the Indian Ocean while en route to Australia's Christmas Island, leaving 353 people dead, 146 of them children.
Radhi is the third person to face court for their role in the disaster.
Iraqi people smuggler Khaleed Shnayf Daoed was extradited from Sweden to Australia in 2003 and received a nine-year sentence two years later, with prosecutors portraying the then 36-year-old as a key organiser for Egyptian people smuggler Abu Quassey.
Quassey was convicted in Egypt in December 2003 of causing death through negligence and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Additional reporting: AFP
