One of the men in custody accused of terrorism-related offences following a Queensland raid has been charged with recruiting for Islamic State, court documents have shown.
Photo: Omar Succarieh (L) and Agim Kruezi (R) were taken to the Brisbane watch house after the raid. (AAP/ABC News)
Agim Kruezi, 21, from Boronia Heights, and Omar Succarieh, 31, from Kuraby, both south of Brisbane, were remanded in custody after briefly appearing in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday morning.
The charge sheet tendered in court showed among five charges, Kruezi is accused of recruiting people for the Islamic State jihadist group between July 2013 and September 2014 to fight in Syria and Iraq.
He was also charged with unlawful possession of a sawn-off .22 calibre semi-automatic firearm.
Succarieh is the older brother of Abu Asma al Australi, who is suspected of being the first Australian suicide bomber to die in Syria.
He faces three charges, including making funds available to Jabhat al-Nusra, which was linked to Al Qaeda, between August 2013 and September 2014.
Succarieh has also been charged with preparation for incursions into foreign state between February 2014 and March 2014, and unlawful possession of a growth hormone.
Both men are due to appear in court again on October 17.
They were arrested yesterday after a 12-month counter-terrorism operation involving Queensland police and the AFP.
Video: Federal police make two arrests over terror-related offences (7pm TV News QLD)
Anti-terrorism officers carried out nine simultaneous raids, including at the iQraa Islamic Centre at Underwood, south of Brisbane.
Succarieh is one of the iQraa Islamic Centre founders.
AFP assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan said there was no evidence an attack was being planned in Australia.
But he alleged there was evidence of terrorism-related activity.
"There was sufficiency of evidence to progress and this was not a hasty decision and due to public safety concerns we really had no option but to proceed," he said.
"Australians travelling offshore to engage in, or support terrorist activities or conflict, present a significant threat to Australia’s national security, both in foreign countries and upon their return to Australia."
The raids came a day after the head of Australia's domestic spy agency, David Irvine, said the country's official terror threat level could be upgraded in the coming days.
ASIO's director-general told the ABC's 7.30 said on Tuesday the threat had been building in Australia over the past year and he had an "elevated level of concern".
The Federal Government has confirmed the threat of a terrorist attack in Australia has moved "above moderate" because of the involvement of Australians in the Middle East war zone.
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said the Islamic community should not be blamed for the alleged activities of a few individuals.
"Now more than ever I call on Queenslanders to show the tolerance and friendship for which we're all renowned," he said.
"This is not about a religion, this is about people who are allegedly involved in planning criminal acts."
