Summary
Omarjan Azari was sentenced to 18 years for planning a terrorist act and attempting to fund Islamic State. He was a senior member of the "Shura"—a consultative council of Sydney ISIS supporters that operated between 2013 and 2014. The primary phone contact between the Shura and Mohammad Ali Baryalei, a former Kings Cross bouncer who had travelled to Syria to join ISIS and became a senior member before being killed in October 2014.
The case emerged from Operation Appleby. Coordinated terrorism raids across Sydney in September 2014. Azari attempted to transfer $15,000 to ISIS, discussed domestic terrorist attacks in a phone conversation with Baryalei in Syria, and employed counter-surveillance techniques including using his brother as an intermediary for communications.
Key Facts
Azari was born in Afghanistan around 1992-1994 and arrived in Australia as a child. Throughout high school, described as a "devout" Muslim. From 2012, he engaged in street preaching in Parramatta every Sunday alongside Mohammad Ali Baryalei. Baryalei would later travel to Syria in April 2013, join Islamic State, and rise to become a senior member before his death in October 2014.
After Baryalei's departure to Syria, Azari became involved in the "Shura" network—a consultative council of Sydney ISIS supporters. The senior member was Hamdi Alqudsi, who maintained regular contact with Baryalei in Syria. Other members included Tyler Casey (killed in Syria January 2014), Ali Al-Talebi, Milad Atai, Ahmed Saiyer Naizmand, Kawa Alou, and Azari's brother Waris Azari, who also joined ISIS in Syria.
Azari became the primary phone contact between this group and Baryalei.
On 31 August 2014, multiple Shura members took an oath of allegiance (bay'ah) to Islamic State at Wattamolla Beach. Azari was not present—he was helping his parents move house—but his involvement in the network's activities was established through other evidence. He attempted to transfer $9,000 USD and $6,000 AUD to Islamic State.
The most serious evidence against Azari was a phone conversation on 15 September 2014 with Baryalei in Syria discussing domestic terrorist attacks in Australia. The network was not merely providing support for overseas fighters. It was actively considering operations within Australia.
Azari employed sophisticated counter-surveillance tactics. He did not use a personal phone. Used his brother as an intermediary for communications.
The Operation Appleby raids in September 2014 disrupted the network's activities. Among the largest counter-terrorism operations in Australian history. Multiple arrests across Sydney.
Sentence
Azari was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 13 years and 6 months. Eligible for parole in March 2028. Head sentence expires September 2032.
The lengthy sentence reflected the objective seriousness of planning a terrorist act and the systematic nature of his involvement with the Shura network. His role as the primary contact with a senior ISIS member in Syria. His discussion of domestic attacks.
Related Profiles
- Omarjan Azari - offender; Shura member and ISIS funder