Sydney Self-Styled Islamic Sheik Junaid Thorne Facing Criminal Charges Following Police House Raid
A self-styled sheik has been issued with a court notice following a police raid on his Bass Hill home in Sydney on Thursday. Islamic fundamentalist preacher Junaid Thorne, who had voiced his support for the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, is ordered to face charges in court for allegedly using false identity when travelling between Perth and Sydney.
The Australian Federal Police told the West Australian the 25-year-old Perth-born sheik has been charged with two offences, namely using a carriage service to book a ticket under a false name and using that ticket to travel interstate. Few details are available about the raid as further charges are still expected to be filed against Thorne. He is ordered to appear in a Perth court at a date yet to be scheduled.
Thorne was born in Perth but had lived in Saudi Arabia with his family for 14 years. He was deported in 2013 back to Australia when he protested his brother Shayden Thorne’s imprisonment. Shayden was sentenced to four and a half years in Saudi on terrorism charges. He was pardoned in February 2013.
Thorn recently outraged social media users when he suggested the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks in Paris were warranted after the paper’s employees insulted the prophet Mohammad. He posted his comments a few hours after the massacre.
Insulting someone's Prophet is very likely to stimulate some kind of response. It is not allowed under any context/religion. #CharlieHebdo
— Sh. Mohammed Junaid (@MJunaidThorne) January 7, 2015
If you want to enjoy 'freedom of speech' with no limits, expect others to exercise 'freedom of action'. — Sh. Mohammed Junaid (@MJunaidThorne) January 7, 2015
The authorities are now said to be considering cancelling Thorne’s passport as a result of his activities.