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Two brothers accused of lighting summer bushfires north of Melbourne were allegedly motivated by terrorist ideology, with one filming himself pledging allegiance to Islamic State and vowing to burn Australian families alive.
Epping brothers Ari Sherani, 22, and Aran Sherani, 21, are facing trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria accused of terrorism-related offences at Humevale and Kinglake West in 2021.
Epping brothers Aran and Ari Sherani arrive at the Supreme Court on Tuesday.Credit: Simon Schluter
Crown prosecutor Justin Hannebery, KC, told the court on Tuesday the younger of the two, Aran Sherani, was responsible for setting bushfires at both locations, while his older brother filmed him lighting one of the blazes.
In videos played to the jury, a man said to be Aran Sherani is seen standing in bushland at Humevale wearing a face covering on February 18, 2021.
There he is recorded saying: “Islamic State still remains. You think you are safe [in Australia] surrounded by water? Your land is filled with trees and forest. We will burn your cities, burn your families alive, you’ll all taste the fire. Allahu Akbar”.
Soon after, the video footage, allegedly taken by Ari Sherani, shows nearby bushland being set alight.
Aran Sherani outside court.Credit: Simon Schluter
In a second video, Aran Sherani, this time alone, is filmed saying he’d found a quiet area filled with trees before giving instructions on how to light bushfires to ensure they spread. The footage then showed the man setting fire to trees on February 28, 2021.
“To the kafir may this fire burn you and your family may you all suffer, may you all die. Now is the time my brothers,” Aran Sherani recorded himself saying.
The jury heard the Humevale fire was lit about 3.20pm on a 26-degree day and within 300 metres of residential homes. The second fire was ignited when the temperature was about 27 degrees, and came within 225 metres of nearby homes.
The jury were told at the time of the alleged offending, both men lived at home with their parents at Epping and used their mother’s silver Mitsubishi Outlander to drive to the bush.
Ari Sherani arrives at court.Credit: Simon Schluter
Hannebery told the jury that during a search of the family’s home counter-terrorism police seized an array of mobile phones and laptops.
On those allegedly belonging to the older brother, police found video messages to another man showing a footage of a bushfire set to the soundtrack of an extremist song. The court heard they also found IS propaganda magazines featuring articles that spoke of terror tactics including forest fires.
On those allegedly belonging to the younger brother, police found internet searches that spoke of dying young, jihad and about Sydney’s Lindt cafe terror siege.
The court heard while Ari Sherani was arrested at the family home in March 2021, his brother fled the scene on foot and escaped police for a number of hours.
While on the run from police, the prosecution allege Aran Sherani purchased a $3 knife from an Epping supermarket and recorded 25 videos. Three of those, Hannebery said, were posted online and in them the accused man spoke of spilling blood and jihad, which the prosecution alleges were acts in preparation of a further terrorist attack.
Barrister Patrick Doyle, SC, said while his client Aran Sherani lit bushfires, his sole intention in making the videos was not to stage an attack on home soil, but to get a member of IS to help him travel overseas to fight for the Kurdish people.
Barrister Colin Mandy, SC, said his client Ari Sherani was no terrorist and never made an agreement with his brother to commit a terrorist attack.
Aran Sherani has pleaded guilty to being a member of a terrorist organisation, namely Islamic State, but not guilty to attempting to engage in a terrorist act and committing an act done in preparation or planning of a terrorist act.
Ari Sherani has pleaded not guilty to a single charge of attempting to engage in a terrorist act, namely the Humevale bushfire.
The trial continues.
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