Mohammad Ali Baryalei: Australia's most senior member of Islamic State funnelled fighters onto the frontline of Syria, Iraq wars

Updated

A 7.30 investigation has uncovered Australia's most senior member of the Islamic State militant group, who authorities say has funnelled scores of Australian fighters onto the frontline of the wars in Syria and Iraq.

Australian authorities say 33-year-old jihadist Mohammad Ali Baryalei, from Sydney, has a trusted position in Islamic State (IS) operational command and has facilitated the recruitment of at least half of the 60 Australians currently fighting in the wars.

7.30 has been told Baryalei, an Afghan refugee and former Kings Cross nightclub bouncer, recruited a who's who of Australian IS fighters, including Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar, boys as young as 17, and at least seven Australians who would go on to be killed in Syria and Iraq.

Among them were 22-year-old former Gold Coast private schoolgirl Amira Karroum and her husband, dual Australian-US citizen Tyler Casey, who died side-by-side in the Syrian city of Aleppo last January.

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The road to radicalisation

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In January 2014, a young Australian couple was gunned down in Aleppo by rival rebel Syrian forces.

Amira Karroum and her husband Tyler Casey were devout Muslims who travelled to Syria to join the global jihad.

But how do a boy from the Brisbane suburbs and a girl from the Gold Coast beaches end up dead in one of the world's most brutal conflicts?

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Amira Karroum was born to a New Zealand mother and a secular Muslim father, who fled Lebanon to Australia and founded a multi-million-dollar restaurant business on the Gold Coast. She attended the exclusive Gold Coast Anglican private girls' school St Hilda's, before going on to study graphic design at QUT.

Amira's teen years sunbathing on the beach, going to nightclubs and working at Sea World were a world away from the radical cause she would take up a few years later.

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Tyler Casey was born in Adelaide in 1990. As a small child he moved to Redcliffe, just north of Brisbane, where his mother married a recovering drug addict. Casey and his three younger half-brothers had a tumultuous upbringing in a fundamentalist Christian home.

At 13, he moved with his mother to the United States. Separated from his younger brothers, he became involved in gangs and petty crime in the city of Colorado Springs. It was there he began his first steps on the path that would lead to an unmarked grave in Syria.

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Unbeknownst to his family, during his time in the US, Casey began to associate with followers of a senior Al Qaeda Anwar Al Awlaki, who had previously been based in Colorado and later died in Yemen; Australian authorities believe he became an international emissary for Al Qaeda.

From 2008, he was paid by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to travel to Egypt and Yemen, where US intelligence agencies report he was trained for warfare. He was also sent to South Africa for religious training in 2011, where he was filmed in the audience of a sermon by one of Syria's most prominent anti-government sheikhs, Muhammad Al Yaqoubi.

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Amira and Casey's paths crossed after each moved to Sydney. In her late teens, Amira moved with her sister to be closer to her Muslim relatives in Sydney's west. One of her cousins was Fadl Sayadi, who served five years in jail for being a senior player in the biggest terrorism plot in Australia's history. Another cousin was Bilal Sayadi, who had a history of crime dating back to his teens, including bashings, drug offences and a shooting.

Casey had taken on the name Yusuf Ali and became a street preacher, converting Australians to Islam with other devout young men involved in the Street Dawah movement.

It was through Street Dawah that he became close friends with another street preacher, Bilal Sayadi.

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Bilal Sayadi arranged a marriage between Amira and Casey and a romance blossomed - but police soon discovered the marriage was part of a bigger plot. For the couple, it was another step along the path to becoming a soldier of Islam.

Amira began posting increasingly extreme statements to Facebook, writing "the hereafter is coming" and "Jannah [or paradise] is my destination". Another post said "democracy is cancer, Khilafah [the Islamic caliphate] is the answer".

Months after the pair married, Casey told friends he was going to fight alongside Al Qaeda and wouldn't be returning to Australia or the US.

Casey's stepfather reported his plan to the Australian authorities, but on June 29, 2013 he flew to Turkey via Singapore.

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During his time at Street Dawah, Casey had met fellow jihadist Mohammad Ali Baryalei, a leader of the Street Dawah movement who would emerge as a pivotal figure drawing young Australians to Syria. It was Baryalei, now based in Syria, Iraq and Turkey, who would facilitate Casey's journey to the Syrian battlefield, along with three other young Australians.

Australian authorities say Baryalei has become the most senior Australian member of the Islamic State militant group in Syria and Iraq, responsible for funnelling at least half of the 60 Australians currently fighting there onto the frontline. Family of the 33-year-old Afghan refugee and former Kings Cross nightclub bouncer say he claims to be living a peaceful life in Turkey.

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Phone calls intercepted by police tell the story of the group's journey to the battlefield.

From Turkey, they crossed the border to Syria in early July, where they were given battle training by Jabhat Al Nusra, an Al Qaeda affiliate fighting Assad's forces in Syria.

As with this latest generation of jihadists, Casey embraced technology from the frontline, staying in close contact with his brother, showing off his cache of weapons - including AK-47s and hand grenades via Skype.

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Meanwhile, Amira was planning on joining her husband, telling her father she wanted to be a fighter.

Under the guise of a trip to visit friends in Denmark, which was funded by her cousin Bilal Sayadi, she planned to make her way south to Syria.

Police halted her first effort to leave the country, but the next day, with the assistance of her lawyer, she left for Denmark, where she met up with other Islamists making the journey to Syria.

Amira and Casey were reunited in January 2014, but instead of fighting Assad, they became embroiled in a fierce power struggle between rival rebel groups.

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Just days after Amira's arrival in the rebel stronghold of Aleppo, they were ambushed and executed in a makeshift home they shared with a Somali couple.

Australian authorities say in a brutal takeover of their Australian Jabhat Al Nusra contingent, the house was surrounded by IS militants wielding automatic weapons and Amira and her husband were killed in a blaze of gunfire.

Her father had a heart attack upon hearing the news, saying he received a call from Syria telling him his daughter's body had been dismembered and the Somali couple was buried alive.

Within days, Casey's fellow fighters had joined Islamic State.

In January 2014, a young Australian couple was gunned down in Aleppo by rival rebel Syrian forces.and her husbandwere devout Muslims who travelled to Syria to join the global jihad.But how do a boy from the Brisbane suburbs and a girl from the Gold Coast beaches end up dead in one of the world's most brutal conflicts?was born to a New Zealand mother and a secular Muslim father, who fled Lebanon to Australia and founded a multi-million-dollar restaurant business on the Gold Coast. She attended the exclusive Gold Coast Anglican private girls' school St Hilda's, before going on to study graphic design at QUT.teen years sunbathing on the beach, going to nightclubs and working at Sea World were a world away from the radical cause she would take up a few years later.was born in Adelaide in 1990. As a small child he moved to Redcliffe, just north of Brisbane, where his mother married a recovering drug addict.and his three younger half-brothers had a tumultuous upbringing in a fundamentalist Christian home.At 13, he moved with his mother to the United States. Separated from his younger brothers, he became involved in gangs and petty crime in the city of Colorado Springs. It was there he began his first steps on the path that would lead to an unmarked grave in Syria.Unbeknownst to his family, during his time in the US,began to associate with followers of a senior Al Qaeda Anwar Al Awlaki, who had previously been based in Colorado and later died in Yemen; Australian authorities believe he became an international emissary for Al Qaeda.From 2008, he was paid by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to travel to Egypt and Yemen, where US intelligence agencies report he was trained for warfare. He was also sent to South Africa for religious training in 2011, where he was filmed in the audience of a sermon by one of Syria's most prominent anti-government sheikhs, Muhammad Al Yaqoubi.andpaths crossed after each moved to Sydney. In her late teens, Amira moved with her sister to be closer to her Muslim relatives in Sydney's west.One of her cousins was, who served five years in jail for being a senior player in the biggest terrorism plot in Australia's history. Another cousin was, who had a history of crime dating back to his teens, including bashings, drug offences and a shooting.had taken on the nameand became a street preacher, converting Australians to Islam with other devout young men involved in the Street Dawah movement.It was through Street Dawah that he became close friends with another street preacher,arranged a marriage betweenandand a romance blossomed - but police soon discovered the marriage was part of a bigger plot. For the couple, it was another step along the path to becoming a soldier of Islam.began posting increasingly extreme statements to Facebook, writing "the hereafter is coming" and "Jannah [or paradise] is my destination". Another post said "democracy is cancer, Khilafah [the Islamic caliphate] is the answer".Months after the pair married,told friends he was going to fight alongside Al Qaeda and wouldn't be returning to Australia or the US.stepfather reported his plan to the Australian authorities, but on June 29, 2013 he flew to Turkey via Singapore.During his time at Street Dawah,had met fellow jihadist, a leader of the Street Dawah movement who would emerge as a pivotal figure drawing young Australians to Syria.It was, now based in Syria, Iraq and Turkey, who would facilitatejourney to the Syrian battlefield, along with three other young Australians.Australian authorities sayhas become the most senior Australian member of the Islamic State militant group in Syria and Iraq, responsible for funnelling at least half of the 60 Australians currently fighting there onto the frontline. Family of the 33-year-old Afghan refugee and former Kings Cross nightclub bouncer say he claims to be living a peaceful life in Turkey.Phone calls intercepted by police tell the story of the group's journey to the battlefield.From Turkey, they crossed the border to Syria in early July, where they were given battle training by Jabhat Al Nusra, an Al Qaeda affiliate fighting Assad's forces in Syria.As with this latest generation of jihadists,embraced technology from the frontline, staying in close contact with his brother, showing off his cache of weapons - including AK-47s and hand grenades via Skype.Meanwhile,was planning on joining her husband, telling her father she wanted to be a fighter.Under the guise of a trip to visit friends in Denmark, which was funded by her cousin, she planned to make her way south to Syria.Police halted her first effort to leave the country, but the next day, with the assistance of her lawyer, she left for Denmark, where she met up with other Islamists making the journey to Syria.andwere reunited in January 2014, but instead of fighting Assad, they became embroiled in a fierce power struggle between rival rebel groups.Just days after's arrival in the rebel stronghold of, they were ambushed and executed in a makeshift home they shared with a Somali couple.Australian authorities say in a brutal takeover of their Australian Jabhat Al Nusra contingent, the house was surrounded by IS militants wielding automatic weapons and Amira and her husband were killed in a blaze of gunfire.Her father had a heart attack upon hearing the news, saying he received a call from Syria telling him his daughter's body had been dismembered and the Somali couple was buried alive.Within days,fellow fighters had joined Islamic State.

The investigation into the years of radicalisation and recruitment that led the couple to their brutal deaths has discovered Casey had spent five years as an international Al Qaeda emissary before he joined the Syrian war.

Karroum's death in a hail of bullets in Syria was a world away from the life of the beach-loving teenager who grew up in a wealthy family on the Gold Coast and went to a local Anglican girl's school.

"She was beautiful," said her grieving father Mohammed Karroum.

"We had a house, a waterfront house, and she used to invite her friends and I used to make barbecues for them, barbecues, and she would be swimming, dancing.

"She goes to the nightclub with her sister, just having a good time like any ordinary girl."

Karroum's life took a major turn in 2011 when she moved with her older sister to the suburb of Liverpool in Sydney's west to be closer to their Muslim relatives.

There, the sisters began to embrace their Muslim identity.

"They start to put the hijab [on] and they don't want to take it off and everything they do, they do by the Muslim law," Mr Karroum said.

One of Karroum's cousins was Fadl Sayadi, who had been jailed for five years for the biggest terrorism plot in Australia's history.

Another cousin, Bilal Sayadi, had a history of crime dating back to his teens, including bashings, drug offences and a senseless shooting.

Bilal Sayadi introduced Amira to his close friend, Casey, a young Australian-American convert to Islam who had also moved from Queensland.

In April last year, Bilal Sayadi arranged for Karroum and Casey to marry. It was a surprise to both sides of the family.

"I said, no! And they can't get married if I said 'no'," Mr Karroum said.

"Then my cousin came to me and he started talking to me: 'he's alright, he's beautiful person'.

"And they got married there and then – that day."

Casey already a veteran of global jihad

Casey was already a veteran of the global jihad who had grown up in a fundamentalist Christian family near Brisbane with three younger brothers, including Josiah Turnbull.

"We had strict rules we had to abide by ... we went to church every Sunday," Mr Turnbull told 7.30.

"We were very church orientated, did a lot in the community, helped out wherever we could."

When Casey was 13, his mother took him to Colorado Springs in the US, where he became involved in gangs and petty crime.

It was there he discovered and converted to Islam.

"He went from being bad on the streets," Mr Turnbull recalled.

"The next day when I've seen him after he came back from the States, his whole life was changed. He was good, he didn’t get into trouble, he stayed away from things."

Australian authorities believe that during his time in the US, Casey began to associate with followers of senior Al Qaeda recruiter, Anwar al Awlaki, who was previously based in Colorado and later killed in Yemen.

Authorities say he adopted the name Yusuf Ali and became an international emissary for Al Qaeda.

7.30 learned the FBI and CIA were watching Casey from 2008. They report they have intelligence he received military training during trips to Yemen.

Casey also travelled to South Africa and Egypt.

"[Tyler] went to Egypt a couple of times that I know, so something must've been keeping him to go back there," Mr Turnbull said.

"My father said he was there doing the training camps, training for war."

But it was back in Australia that Casey met a fellow jihadist who would emerge as a pivotal figure, drawing young Australians into Syria.

From Afghan refugee to IS facilitator

In Sydney, Casey became involved in the Street Dawah movement, a group of preachers devoted to converting Australians to Islam that counted Bilal Sayadi among its members.

Mohammad Ali Baryalei was a leader of the group who would go on to seal Casey and Karroum's fate in Syria.

Baryalei was from an aristocratic Afghan family who had come to Australia as refugees when he was a child.

He worked as a security guard in Kings Cross and was an aspiring actor who had a fleeting appearance in the true-crime television series Underbelly.

But his true passion was his faith and in April 2013 police say he travelled to Syria to fight with Islamic militants.

Authorities believe he has established himself as the most senior Australian member of Islamic State, involved in its operational command in Syria and Iraq as a key facilitator for Australians travelling to Syria and Iraq to fight.

In June 2013, Casey and Karroum were ready to join him.

Karroum was posting increasingly extreme statements to Facebook, writing "the hereafter is coming" and "Jannah (or paradise) is my destination".

Another post said "democracy is a cancer, Khilafah [the Islamic caliphate] is the answer."

"They (Tyler Casey and Amira) were going to go [to Syria] together, but he advised her not to, he went by himself," Mr Karroum said.

Four days before Casey left Australia with three friends from the Street Dawah, police intercepted a phone call between Baryalei and his handler in Sydney.

"Four brothers coming this week – they are leaving Australia, going to try and get them by the weekend," the caller told Baryalei.

"Abu Qaqa (Casey) is the tall one that was doing Dawah with you.

"The brothers yesterday, they were crying, affected, none of them wanted to stay in this country one second."

A month later, Casey and the other three men crossed the Turkish border into Syria.

They were put through military training before Baryalei arranged their entry onto the battlefield with the Al Qaeda group, Jabhat al Nusrah.

Casey stayed in close contact with his half-brother from the frontline.

He was showing me his ammunition or artillery he had," Mr Turnbull said.

"He had like two or three AK-47s, a few grenades, things like that. He was fighting for his religion, he was fighting for what he believed what was right.

"I was proud of him ... he's doing something that was making a difference."

Amira determined to join husband on the frontline

Back in Sydney, Karroum was determined to join her husband on the frontline. But first she visited her father on the Gold Coast.

"She came and saw me before she left, I didn't know she was leaving, and she hugged me and she started to cry," Mr Karroum said.

"I knew it was different this time. I said to her, 'what’s wrong?', she said to me, 'nothing, I just love you Dad'.

"And I accepted it - I didn’t know she was saying goodbye."

With money provided by her cousin Bilal Sayadi, Karroum bought a ticket to Denmark.

"She went to Denmark, she met these people from Somalia, man and a wife - and she went to Syria," Mr Karroum said.

When she arrived in the Syrian city of Aleppo to reunite with Casey, a fierce power struggle was raging with ISIS - now known as Islamic State - and the Al Qaeda group Jabhat Al Nusra, with which the Australians were aligned.

"She sent me a message: 'Please Dad, pray to Allah and ask him to forgive you for the days, for the years you have not prayed for him, death is around the corner Dad. I love you'," Mr Karroum said.

Just days after Karroum's arrival in the rebel stronghold of Aleppo, she and Casey were ambushed and executed in a makeshift home they shared with the Somali couple.

Australian authorities say the house was surrounded by IS militants wielding automatic weapons and Karroum and her husband were killed in a blaze of gunfire.

Her father had a heart attack upon hearing the news, saying he received a call from Syria telling him his daughter's body had been dismembered and the Somali couple was buried alive.

Australian authorities believe Karroum and Casey were killed in a brutal takeover of the Australians' Jabhat Al Nusra contingent.

Within days, their fellow Australian fighters had joined IS.

Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, terrorism, australia, syrian-arab-republic, iraq, qld

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