'Attack them': Extremist figure loses terror charges appeal

A Queensland man who posted videos calling on viewers to "attack" enemies of Islam, and to "destroy their houses, trades and airports", has had his appeal to overturn his terror charges dismissed.

Last year, Omar Saghir was found guilty of six counts of intentionally advocating terrorism, after he posted eight video speeches to a public Facebook page, and his thousands of connections, between 2019 and 2020.

Saghir previously held a senior role in a Queensland group which held religiously motivated violent extremist ideologies, linked to an Islamic militant group.

He was also convicted of helping fund an overseas fighter who travelled to Syria back in 2013.

According to court documents, the videos Saghir later posted "all concerned the civil war which was then raging in Syria", with mentions of Coronavirus, China, Russia and the Christchurch Massacre.

The documents state he encouraged people to do "violence against others".

'Attack them, yes attack them'

During the trial in Brisbane in 2025, Saghir admitted to uploading the speeches to social media.

His defence lawyer argued they were simply an "emotional outburst" rather than posted with an intention to encourage terrorism.

In one recording, Saghir lists various "enemies" and calls on viewers to "attack them, yes attack them", a number of times.

In one video he discussed causing harm to China's economy, and in a separate video he said "we will not finish here until Russia is finished".

In August, Saghir was found guilty of six counts of intentionally advocating the doing of a terrorist act.

He was acquitted of two charges, one related to the video about Russia.

Judge Vicki Loury KC sentenced Saghir to two years and six months prison for three of the terror charges, 18 months for the remaining three, and six months imprisonment for the offending relating to funding an overseas fighter.

He was ordered to serve those concurrently, meaning he'll spend two and a half years behind bars for the crimes.

Conviction upheld

Omar Saghir later appealed his conviction, arguing the trial judge failed to give a particular direction to the jury, constituting a miscarriage of justice.

In a judgement handed down today, appeal justices Debra Mullins AO, John Bond and Peter Davis dismissed his bid, stating doing so would not have affected the jury's decision or verdict.