An alleged Australian-based Islamic State member accused of distributing roughly 10,000 files of violent extremist material and instructing followers on mass-casualty attacks has faced court for the first time. Mohamed Bakit, a 65-year-old retiree and Somali-born Australian citizen living in Carlton, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday afternoon following his arrest by the Victoria Joint Counter Terrorism Team, comprising the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police, and ASIO.
The Investigation and Airport Interception
Federal authorities state the investigation originated from a border interception in November 2020. Australian Border Force officers stopped Bakit at Melbourne International Airport and searched his luggage prior to his departure for Egypt. A forensic examination of his mobile phone revealed suspicious content, prompting the AFP to seize the device. Investigators permitted Bakit to continue his travel to Egypt due to compassionate grounds during Covid-19 travel restrictions, where he remained for six months.
According to federal police, a subsequent search warrant executed in 2024 and ongoing forensic reviews of seized electronic devices established that Bakit acted as an online propagandist from Australia between November 2015 and July 2020. Police do not allege he continued distributing extremist material following the initial 2020 airport interception or that he traveled abroad again.
Scale of Alleged Propaganda and Mass-Casualty Guides
Authorities allege Bakit pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria between 2018 and 2020 without traveling to territory controlled by the group in the Middle East. Acting AFP Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Paula Hudson stated that the volume of material distributed placed him among the principal propagandists on the encrypted messaging platform he utilized.
“The material allegedly shared by this man glorified acts of extreme violence and promoted a terrorist organisation, spreading a hateful ideology that’s designed to radicalise others,” Hudson said. Police allege the transmission included approximately 10,000 documents, messages, images, videos, and audio files depicting executions, torture, and battlefield propaganda, alongside instructional guides on planning mass-casualty attacks and evading law enforcement detection.
Did you know? Australian authorities estimate that more than 200 Australians joined Islamic State overseas beginning in 2012, part of a global influx of over 50,000 foreign fighters drawn to the conflict zones in Iraq and Syria.
Court Appearance and Charges
During Wednesday’s brief court appearance, defense lawyer Stephanie McLennan noted it was her client’s first time in custody and requested medication for his diabetes, a heart condition, and blood pressure issues. Bakit was formally charged with one count of membership of a terrorist organisation, three counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass, or cause offence by transmitting violent extremist material, and one count of possessing or controlling violent extremist material.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Crime and Counter Terrorism Investigation Services Martin O’Brien noted that online extremist offending remains subject to active law enforcement monitoring. Bakit was remanded in custody and is scheduled to apply for bail on Thursday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What specific charges does Mohamed Bakit face?
Bakit is charged with membership of a terrorist organisation (ISIS), three counts of using a carriage service to transmit violent extremist material, and one count of possessing or controlling violent extremist material.
Did Bakit travel to the Middle East during his alleged involvement?
No. Federal police state that Bakit acted as an online propagandist from Australia and did not travel to territory controlled by Islamic State during the Middle East conflict.
How did law enforcement first detect the alleged activity?
The investigation began after Australian Border Force officials intercepted Bakit at Melbourne Airport in November 2020 and examined his mobile phone before his departure to Egypt.
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