Jailed preacher refused parole over friendship with terrorists

Thorne has long been the focus of counter-terror authorities for his online activities and links to Islamic State sympathisers. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts) Self-styled preacher Mohammed Junaid Thorne, who previously voiced support for key leaders of Islamic State, has been refused parole for the second time after being jailed for nine years on drug supply offences. Thorne had been corresponding with 10 inmates convicted of religious radicalised inspired terrorism offences while inside. The NSW parole board could not be satisfied Thorne wouldn't "engage in, incite or assist others to engage in terrorist acts or violent extremism" upon his release, but he can apply again next year. Link copiedShareShare articleAn Australian self-styled Islamic preacher jailed on drug charges has been refused parole because of his extensive correspondence with convicted terrorists while in jail and previous support for Islamic State. Mohammed Junaid Thorne was jailed for nine years in 2021 after selling tens of thousands of dollars of cocaine and ecstasy to an undercover police officer in a sting orchestrated by counter terrorism police. The now 36-year-old became eligible for parole in January last year and was at the time refused release on similar grounds. Thorne was one of three people arrested in Sydney after NSW counter terrorism detectives uncovered an illicit drug and firearm supply network. (Supplied: NSW Police) Thorne can apply every 12 months for his parole to be reviewed and this is the second time he has been refused. On April 27, the New South Wales parole board again ordered he not be released, because it could not be satisfied Thorne would "not engage in, or incite or assist others to engage in terrorist acts of violent extremism". Thorne has long been the focus of authorities after declaring himself a "sheikh" — a Muslim religious authority or leader, and recording lengthy sermons on his interpretation of Islam. At least one sermon recorded on video was delivered in front of a symbol on a black flag commonly associated with Islamic State (IS). He has previously denied supporting violent extremism or being linked to any terrorist groups including IS. Thorne once delivered a sermon in front of a symbol adopted by Islamic State, which reads "Muhammad is the Messenger of God". Born in Perth, Australia, Thorne was taken to Saudi Arabia by his stepfather and mother at the age of 10, telling an assessing psychologist he received a "strict" Muslim upbringing there. Thorne was deported by Saudi authorities in 2013 after protesting that country's jailing of his older brother, Shayden Thorne, for four years on terrorism charges. Shayden went on to become one of the so-called "tinny terrorists" for his involvement in a bold but ultimately doomed plan in which six Australian men planned to sail from northern Queensland to the southern Philippines to help religious militants overthrow the government and impose Sharia law. After arriving back in Perth, Mohammed Junaid Thorne styled himself as a "sheikh" — a Muslim religious scholar or leader — preaching under the banner of "Millatu Ibrahim", which shares the name and logo of a proscribed terrorist group once banned in Germany whose founders went on to die fighting for Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. In 2014 the federal government confirmed it was investigating online posts purporting to be linked to Thorne that praised the fall of Mosul in Iraq to "our brothers in the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS)". According to Amnesty International, Islamic State fighters attempting to establish an Islamic caliphate in Iraq during this period committed crimes against humanity which included torture and the rape and sexual enslavement of Iraqi women and girls taken captive during the conflict. The Australian government had become concerned that Australians were being radicalised by IS sympathisers and travelling overseas to fight in the conflict. In 2015, Thorne was jailed for nine months for travelling on a false name. Junaid Thorne was charged for travelling under a false name, which he said was a bid to avoid scrutiny of his movements by authorities. (ABC News: Ben Worsley) After this period of incarceration he is believed to have relocated from Perth to Sydney where the drug offences occurred. In assessing his application for parole, the NSW parole board considered a report by violent extremism expert Dr Joshua Roose which found Thorne had previously expressed support for IS ideology, which included giving a lecture in front of a banner depicting an Islamic State flag and posting public messages on social media supporting IS leaders. Dr Roose said prior to being jailed, Thorne had been linked to individuals who had advocated, supported or engaged in acts of terrorism of violent extremism. Thorne was also linked to the now shuttered Al Furqan Centre in Melbourne, which Dr Roose said promoted violent jihad. Dr Roose said Thorne had also posted publicly suppo

Jailed preacher refused parole over friendship with terrorists

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