Police arrest a man Haisem Zahab at his property in Young. Credit:AFP The home owner and Mr Zahab's cousin, Hicham Zahab, didn't fight the AFP's proceeds of crime proceedings as he had fled to Syria with his wife, son and daughter-in-law. He is wanted by the Kuwaiti government for his suspected involvement in the Islamic State arms smuggling cell.



The AFP allege the money from the sale was going to be used to fund an Islamic State arms racket. About half of the money from the sale was seized with the rest believed to have already been sent to the Middle East. In its latest annual report, the AFP said Operation Marksburg was an investigation "into a family based in New South Wales that was suspected of travelling to Syria to become members of, and provide support to, Islamic State" "At the start of the investigation it was identified that family members had access to a significant amount of funds in an Australian bank account and were suspected of using international travel cards and a computer consulting company based in the Middle East to remit funds out of Australia for the use and benefit of Islamic State in Syria," the report stated.

Mr Zahab appears at Young court. Credit:Nine News "These funds were acquired from the sale of their former family residence located in Sydney." Mr Zahab did not apply for bail when he appeared before Young Local Court on Tuesday afternoon and it was formally refused. He will face court in Parramatta on March 8. Michael Keenan, Malcolm Turnbull and AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin address the media. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen He is charged with serious foreign incursion offences which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin said Mr Zahab allegedly used the internet to research and design a laser warning device to help warn against incoming missiles used by coalition forces in Syria and Iraq. The property in Young, NSW, being searched by the Australian Federal Police on Tuesday. Credit:Craig Thomson "We will also allege that he has been researching, designing and modelling systems to assist ISIL's efforts to develop their own long-range guided missile capabilities," he said. Mr Colvin said the alleged advice given by the "technically-trained" man was "fairly sophisticated and well-planned". Malcolm Turnbull responded with platitudes about how this is about "getting the balance right:. Credit:Andrew Meares

"We will be alleging that the material that he was intending to provide to ISIL, the research he was doing, was credible," he said. Dozens of officers descended on his semi-rural property in Cherry Vale Place early on Tuesday morning to execute search warrants before he was arrested. An AFP van at a property in Young where a man was arrested over foreign incursion offences. Credit:Australian Federal Police Some officers were seen to use metal detectors to search the ground at his home. Others dug into the ground with picks while a NSW Police officer from the dog squad stood nearby.

The electrician divided his time between Young and Sydney, where it is understood he had a business in the past that designed and installed solar panels. AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin said the alleged offence was "fairly sophisticated and well-planned". Credit:Andrew Meares Business records show the 42-year-old was the director of a company called Switch2Green, which was based in the Sydney suburb of Yagoona before it was de-registered in 2013. Mr Zahab then registered another business, Oz Survival Gear, in November 2013. It sells knives, multi-tools and flashlights online from his home in Young. Police inspect the Young property. Credit:Nine News