Five men accused of trying to flee to Syria by boat to join Islamic State have been remanded in custody after appearing in a Melbourne court.
Islamic preacher Musa Cerantonio, Shayden Thorne, Kadir Kaya, Antonio Granata and Paul Dacre were all seated behind glass when they fronted Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Thursday after an early morning flight from Cairns.
Each is charged with making preparations for incursions into foreign countries to engage in hostile activities.
The five were arrested near Cairns last week towing a seven-metre vessel en route to the tip of Cape York, allegedly planning to go by boat to Indonesia and then on to Syria.
More than 20 friends and family members turned out to support them in court including a handful of young men who refused to stand when Magistrate Luisa Bazzani entered the room.
Among them was Shayden Thorne's brother Junaid Thorne, a controversial preacher jailed last year for booking airline tickets under a false name.
Defence lawyer Rob Stary said the supporters decided not to stand for religious reasons.
"It's part of the Muslim faith, Your Honour," Mr Stary told the court.
"A person says they stand for no one other than Allah."
Ms Bazzani said their actions were disrespectful.
There was an increased security presence in court when the men appeared, with protective services officers spread around the perimeter of the public gallery.
They did not apply for bail and were remanded in custody to reappear in September.
The five accused remained quiet throughout the brief hearing with some waving at supporters as they were returned to the cells.
The court heard Granata needed to see a psychiatric nurse and was taking anxiety medication.
Federal police successfully applied to have the group extradited to Victoria after they faced court in Queensland.
A large security contingent accompanied the group on a specially-chartered plane which left Cairns just after 6.30am on Thursday and landed in Melbourne before 10am.
The men face a maximum penalty of life in jail if found guilty.
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