MELBOURNE: A man charged with receiving funds from the al-Qaeda network in Pakistan on Monday became the first Australian to have his movements restricted in the country under new anti-terrorism laws.
Jack Thomas, 33, referred to in Australian media as 'Jihad Jack' must remain at his house here from midnight till five in the morning and should report to police three days a week, the country's attorney general Philip Ruddock said.
The interim control order was intended to protect the Australian community and "not punish a person for an offence," Ruddock said.
For such an order to be served, the Australian Federal Police must be satisfied on reasonable grounds that a person has either trained with a terrorist organisation or is engaged in the preparation of a terrorist act, the report said.
Thomas, a Muslim convert, had been convicted in February on charges of receiving funds from al-Qaeda and holding a false passport.
But early this month, the Victorian Court of Appeal quashed the conviction against him and overturned a five-year jail sentence imposed on him.
Thomas was holidaying in eastern Victoria when today's order was served. His lawyer has indicated that the control order will be challenged in court later this week.
Jack's brother Les claimed that he was being "persecuted" by authorities.
"Obviously, the decision to quash my brother's convictions and make him a free man were a setback to the Australian Federal Police and the attorney-general's office, whose claims of Jack being some kind of terrorist sleeper were thrown out by a jury," Les said.
