Muslim man on Centrelink benefits because he’s obese ‘sent $4,000 to an American ISIS fighter on PayPal’


A disability pensioner who was accused of funding an American Islamic State fighter has been ordered by court to stand trial.

Mr Isa Kocoglu, who is on a pension because of his obesity and mental health issues, has been committed to trial on seven charges by Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.

The 44-year-old allegedly sent almost $4000 using PayPal to a known ISIS fighter born in Texas, United States of America.

The man allegedly deposited cash for known jihadist, Yahya al-Bahrumi, at a Commonwealth Bank branch in Sydney’s south eastern suburbs between November 2013 and August 2014.

Mr Bahrumi, born in Texas as John Georgelas, is reportedly considered to be one of Islamic State’s top producers of English language propaganda.

The bushy-bearded man, accused of financially supporting a foreign fighter in Syria, remains on bail.

He has pleaded not guilty and was ordered to stand trial in the Supreme Court.

The Australian Federal Police allege Mr Kocoglu sent the money after multiple cash deposits were made at a Commonwealth Bank branch at Kogarah, in Sydney’s south.

His Hampton Park home was searched in June 2016 and counter-terror officers seized several devices, the court was told.

But he was not charged until 16 months later after officers had pored over the data, including his Facebook history.

‘It was about four terabytes worth of data seized,’ Australian Federal Police officer Astrid Dahmen said.

‘So that took some time to go through and analyse.’

A police translator was called on to interpret some data, including an analysis of the Arabic word ‘hijra’.

‘In an Islamic sense it means ”migration in the cause of Allah”,’ translator Vera Oujami said.

‘If there is the context of a caliphate or jihad.’

Mr Kocoglu was allegedly running a website used by people who support Islamic State ideology when he helped raise funds for Bahrumi.

The maximum penalty for financially supporting a foreign fighter in Syria is 10 years’ imprisonment.

He is not allowed to leave Victoria or Australia under his bail conditions, which include a curfew and daily reporting to police.

The accused is due to return to court for a directions hearing on July 19.

Source: The Australian