Asylum detainee in Australia is wanted for murder and terrorism in Egypt

Christmas Island Detention Centre

An asylum seeker who arrived at Christmas Island last year was wanted in Egypt for premeditated murder, possession of weapons and explosives and destruction of property.

The unnamed man was initially held at the low security Inverbrackie detention facility in South Australia.

He was moved to a secure facility in Sydney on April 17, some five months after it was confirmed he was the person on an Interpol “red notice”, Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner Peter Drennan has told a Senate estimates committee.

Mr Drennan said the man, a member of the terrorist organisation called Egyptian Islamic Jihad, was convicted by a military tribunal in Egypt on April 18, 1999.

He said an Interpol “red notice”, issued on October 9, 2001, said the convictions were for membership of a terrorist organisation and involvement in terrorist activities in Egypt and outside that country.

“The briefing we have here is that he was convicted in absentia for premeditated murder, destruction of property, possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives without a permit, membership of a terrorist group and forgery of documents,” Mr Drennan said.

The man arrived in Australia on May 9 last year, was processed by the Immigration Department and moved to Inverbrackie.

On November 14, police advised the Immigration Department he was the man on the Interpol notice.

Shadow attorney-general George Brandis asked why a man who was clearly a dangerous terrorist was allowed to stay at Inverbrackie for five months before being moved to more secure detention.

Mr Drennan said that was a matter for the Immigration Department.

Deputy commissioner Andrew Colvin said the AFP had also sought to determine whether a Sri Lankan man seeking asylum in Australia was the same person who was wanted back in Sri Lanka for murdering his girlfriend.

“We are satisfied it is most likely the same person,” he said.

That man arrived in Australia on May 18 last year and had been released into the community.

He was taken back into detention on April 20 this year.

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