Key facts
- Mohommed Farhat, 22, was denied parole for a second time.
- He was convicted of writing "Fuk Israel" on cars and setting a vehicle alight.
- A Supreme Court judge, Desmond Fagan, ruled Farhat's actions were not antisemitic and posed an insignificant terrorism risk.
- The judge accepted Farhat was paid for the vandalism and described the case as a "serious miscarriage of justice."
- The parole authority rejected Farhat's explanation and the police's finding that he was not ideologically motivated.
- The authority cited "a deep-seated adherence to an extremist ideology of an antisemitic character" for the denial.
A Sydney man, Mohommed Farhat, 22, has been denied parole for a second time following his conviction for vandalism, including writing "Fuk Israel" on cars and setting a vehicle alight in November 2024. Despite a Supreme Court judge, Desmond Fagan, describing the case as a "serious miscarriage of justice" and ruling that Farhat's actions were not ideologically motivated but rather "a curse against a foreign state," the parole authority rejected his release.
Justice Fagan found an "insignificant" risk of Farhat committing a serious terrorism offence, noting his "limited intellect" and that he was paid to carry out the vandalism. The judge also highlighted that counter-terrorism police determined three weeks after Farhat's arrest that he was not ideologically motivated, a finding the parole authority disregarded.
The parole authority's decision stated that the offending reflected "a deep-seated adherence on the part of the offender to an extremist ideology of an antisemitic character" and rejected Farhat's explanation that he was paid. This decision came five months after a hearing and followed a rare intervention by the commissioner for corrective services, Gary McMahon, who had applied to have Farhat's parole order revoked without hearing from his lawyers.
McMahon admitted he had not consulted specialist police before arguing Farhat posed a terrorism risk, a move Justice Fagan deemed "unsound" and a "serious failure of communication between agencies." Greens MP Sue Higginson criticized the state's efforts to keep Farhat, described as a "troubled young Lebanese Australian man," in custody. The NSW attorney general is reportedly seeking advice on appealing Justice Fagan's decision to reject the state's request for an extended supervision order.