Australian man arrested for alleged plan to join armed group in Myanmar

An Australian man has been charged with a foreign incursion offence after allegedly planning to travel to Myanmar to participate in the country’s internal armed conflict, according to a statement released by the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The man appeared before the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday following an investigation by a joint counter-terrorism taskforce involving the AFP, Queensland Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the statement said. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation identified the detained man as Attilio Ivor Filip Dallavalle, 33, a resident of the Australian state of Queensland. Dallavalle travelled to Thailand in January, according to the AFP’s statement, and intended to go on to Myanmar to take part in hostilities linked to the country’s ongoing civil war, which has escalated since the military seized power in 2021, provoking armed resistance throughout the country. The conflict has drawn support from Myanmar diaspora communities around the world, many of whom have raised funds and provided other forms of assistance to groups opposing the military regime, reflecting the international dimensions of the crisis. Dallavalle was arrested on March 25 after arriving at Brisbane International Airport, where border officials conducted a targeted inspection of his luggage. The AFP statement said officers found night-vision equipment, military-style patches, and material of interest on his electronic devices. A subsequent search was carried out at Dallavalle’s home in Rockhampton, central Queensland, according to the AFP statement. Dallavalle is accused of entering or preparing to enter a foreign country with the intention of engaging in hostile activities, an offence under Australia’s Criminal Code that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. He is in custody and scheduled to return to court on May 15. AFP Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said travelling overseas to take part in armed conflict was a serious criminal offence and warned that anyone attempting to do so would face prosecution. Australia’s foreign incursion laws are designed to prevent individuals from participating in overseas conflicts, particularly where such involvement may pose national security risks. Australians have previously been charged with foreign incursion offences for alleged financial support, attempts to join, or other involvement in the activities of armed groups such as Jabhat Al-Nusra in Syria. The AFP statement did not specify with which Myanmar armed group’s activities Dallavalle is accused of being involved.

Australian man arrested for alleged plan to join armed group in Myanmar

The Australian Federal Police said in a public statement that a 33-year-old Queensland resident was accused of trying to engage in Myanmar’s ongoing conflict, but did not specify with which organisation’s activities he sought to support

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