Tongan convert to Islam in Sydney court on terrorism-related charges

A 19 year-old Tongan convert to Islam will appear in court in Sydney next month on charges of planning a terrorist attack.

Alo-Bridget Namoa and her husband Sameh Bayda appeared in Sydney’s central Local Court last week.

Kaniva News reports they had been in custody over terrorism related charges, but these were upgraded.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that court documents showed they were allegedly planning to carry out a knife attack.

The charge is based on allegations levelled at them when they were arrested early last year.

Bayda has already been accused of collecting documents in Arabic containing instructions on how to make an improvised explosive device and how to carry out a stabbing attack.

Namoa  is accused of recklessly possessing a hunting knife and Islamic flag, as well as instructions in Arabic on how to make a detonator for an improvised explosive device.

They have been held since the beginning of 2016.

Namoa was also previously convicted for refusing to answer questions about her husband’s charges in the NSW Crime Commission.

The Guardian reported that Namoa’s solicitor had argued she was  a “terrified young woman” who refused to answer questions because she was scared.

In September, a court was told Namoa was infatuated with violence and could watch beheadings “all day.”

The Australian media has reported that Namoa referred to themselves as the ‘Islamic Bonnie and Clyde,’ a reference to a notorious American gangster couple.

According to court documents, she was also asked about Islamic State propaganda, whether her husband gave her a knife, and whether he was planning to carry out a suicide operation.

New South Wales police said the couple had their charges upgraded as part of an ongoing investigation known as Operation Chillon.

The charge carries a penalty of life imprisonment.

Bayda and Namoa will return to court on March 15.

  Source: Kaniva News