Ali Al-Talebi, 26, is charged with two counts of supplying funds to Islamic State and one charge of making funds available to them

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

A Sydney man accused of arranging to have thousands of dollars sent abroad to help get Islamic State supporters to Syria has been committed to stand trial.

Ali Al-Talebi, 26, is charged with two counts of supplying funds to the terrorist organisation, which relate to allegations that he instructed a young associate to send two parcels of $3,000 to Pakistan.

Al-Talebi also faces one charge of attempting to make funds available to Isis, after he allegedly arranged for the same youth to transfer US$9,000 overseas.

Prosecutors say that transaction never went through because the youth was put off by the fees.

Sydney’s central local court has heard the cash was handed over at the carpark of western Sydney’s Parramatta mosque and was bound for Pakistan and earmarked for would-be fighters trying to get to Syria to support Isis.

The Crown alleges that Mohammad Ali Baryalei, a “notorious” Australian who became a leading figure in the Isis hierarchy, was personally involved in the funding plan.

During a week-long committal hearing, the prosecution’s star witness – the young man who claims to have carried out the transfers – withstood hours of cross-examination by Al-Talebi’s lawyer Peter O’Brien.

The witness has been offered immunity in exchange for his testimony.

O’Brien on Friday said the young witness “had a lot to gain” by implicating Al-Talebi and another man, Omarjan Azari, who has pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to make funds available to Isis over his involvement in the same alleged plot.

“It would be dangerous to convict Mr Al-Talebi on the uncorroborated evidence of [the young witness],” O’Brien said.

“This bloke is up to his neck in the criminality involved ... He’s going to implicate others to protect himself.”

But late on Friday afternoon, magistrate Peter Miszalski declared that would be a matter for a judge and jury.

Miszalski said there was a “plethora” of evidence in the case, including extensive surveillance video and phone taps involving the accused and his associates.

“There is no doubt that the idea, or the plot, whatever, was hatched between this group of men and it appears as well it could have been somewhere in the vicinity of this particular mosque,” Miszalski said.

“There is no doubt whatsoever that money was transferred – two lots of $3000 – and then there was an attempt concerning the US$9000.”

He added: “I think it is naive for those sending money to think that they can do so anonymously.

“It is clear from the evidence that there is someone watching all the time.”

Al-Talebi has now been formally committed to stand trial and is expected to be arraigned in Sydney’s district court on 15 January.