An Australian man allegedly enlisted by two others to make money transfers for the Islamic State (ISIL) was exposed when his mother found $9,000 (US) in the pocket of his shorts. She was in the process of cleaning his laundry.
Now, the unidentified man is a key witness in the trial against Omarjan Azari, 23, and Ali Al-Talebi, 26, who are accused of organizing multiple money transfers to ISIL in 2014 through Western Union banks in Sydney.
Azari and Al-Talebi were arrested last autumn during the largest counter-terrorism raids in Australia’s history. Azari has also been accused of planning an attack.
Their former accomplice, who is now testifying against them in exchange for immunity from prosecution, allegedly completed two money transfers for them on successive days in August 2014, before balking at the fees involved in the third transfer. Prosecutors say that the $9,000 his mother discovered while preparing a load of laundry was intended to fund ISIL’s activities in Syria and Iraq.