Mohamed Bakit Appears in Melbourne Court Over Terrorism Charges
- Mohamed Bakit, a 65-year-old retiree living in Carlton, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday afternoon after being charged by federal police with terrorism offences.
- No details regarding how Bakit allegedly became radicalised were aired during his brief appearance in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
- Federal police allege Bakit pledged allegiance to the Islamic State between 2018 and 2020 without travelling to the territory controlled by the group during the Middle East conflict.
Mohamed Bakit, a 65-year-old retiree living in Carlton, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday afternoon after being charged by federal police with terrorism offences. Australian federal police allege the Somali-born Australian citizen acted as a propagandist for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, distributing approximately 10,000 documents, messages, images, videos, and audio files relating to executions and torture between 2018 and 2020.
Court Appearance and Medical Needs in Melbourne
No details regarding how Bakit allegedly became radicalised were aired during his brief appearance in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Instead, legal representative Stephanie McLennan pointed out that her client was experiencing detention for the very first time and required ongoing treatment for diabetes, high blood pressure, and a heart condition. Bakit was remanded in custody and is expected to apply for bail on Thursday. Police arrested the Carlton resident at a home in Melbourne’s inner north on Wednesday morning.
Alleged Propaganda and Recruitment Tactics
Federal police allege Bakit pledged allegiance to the Islamic State between 2018 and 2020 without travelling to the territory controlled by the group during the Middle East conflict. Acting federal police assistant commissioner Paula Hudson stated that the scale of extremist material put Bakit among the top propagandists on his chosen encrypted messaging platform. According to investigators, the shared files glorified acts of extreme violence, promoted a terrorist organisation, and contained abhorrent content such as battlefield footage of executions, mass murder, and torture. Counter-terror officers also allege he shared information on avoiding law enforcement detection alongside instructional guides for planning and conducting mass-casualty attacks.
Investigation Origins and Prior Interception
The criminal inquiry kicked off after customs personnel forwarded a referral upon stopping Bakit and going through his belongings at Melbourne Airport during November 2020 as he prepared to depart for Egypt. A search of his mobile phone allegedly uncovered suspicious content, prompting agents to seize the device while allowing him to travel to Egypt, where he stayed for six months. Investigators believe Bakit had compassionate grounds to leave the country under the Covid-19 travel restrictions active at the time, and police found no evidence he journeyed to any declared no-go zones. Authorities executed a further search warrant in 2024. Police do not allege Bakit continued distributing extremist material after the initial 2020 interception, nor that he travelled again following his trip to Egypt, and confirmed he is no longer considered a danger to the community.
The formal charges brought against Bakit included membership in a terrorist organization, possession of violent extremist material, and using a telecommunications service in an offensive manner. Police have not ruled out further arrests, though they have not linked his activities to any specific terrorist attack or plot. Authorities estimate that more than 200 Australians have joined the Islamic State since 2012, part of an overseas contingent exceeding 50,000 fighters drawn to the group.
