Melbourne man arrested for possessing violent extremist material

He was also charged with contravening a requirement in the Crimes Act to provide access to his electronic devices when issued with a court order.

The AFP said in a statement that electronic devices were seized during a search at a Roxburgh Park home on May 7, and a subsequent specialist forensic examination identified alleged Islamic State-inspired violent extremist material.

AFP Counterterrorism Commander Paula Hudson said the Roxburgh Park man arrested on Sunday was part of a dedicated online network “motivated by sharing and distributing violent extremist material, including ISIS propaganda”.

She said early intervention for these types of offences was vital to ensure individuals did not escalate to violence, and warned that the AFP would identify those wanting to harm the Australian community and “bring you to justice”.

“Creating and sharing violent extremist material can be the gateway to terrorism. It desensitises individuals, including youth, to violence and creates a permissive environment to normalise hate,” Hudson said.