"How to join ISIS" and "what part of Yemen is ISIS in" are some of the things Khaled Temssah wanted to know while organising to buy an AK-47 through undercover police.
The Melbourne used car salesman now says he was radicalised through charity work after being exposed to the suffering of women and children in Kashmir.
The 31-year-old pleaded guilty in Victoria's County Court on Thursday to once count of preparing in June 2019 to travel to the contested Kashmir region to engage in hostile activity.
He told an undercover operative posting as an extremist on Wickr he wanted to join ISIS to "fight the idol worshipper tyrant".
"I love Allah. I want to be in paradise and the best thing I can do for my family is to die a martyr," Temssah said.
He met another undercover officer at a service station and handed over $880 for what he thought was an AK-47 and travel costs.
He also googled "how to join ISIS" and "what part of Yemen is ISIS in".
Temssah told the first operative he knew "a little bit of martial arts" and had used a rifle for hunting.
"I definitely want to be on the front line with mujahideen."
"If I don't reply too quickly ... it's because my wife is beside me and she doesn't know about this.
"I'm happy to be trained brother ... I'm very sincere."
He downloaded a document that advised him, if questioned or caught, to say he was simply moved by videos of people suffering abroad and wanted to help.
In court, Temssah said he became radicalised through his involvement in charity projects, initially Melbourne-based and then focused overseas.
"I felt really sad and upset that this was happening in Kashmir," he said.
"I felt obliged to go out of my way to make those people's lives as easy as possible."
He watched videos including of beheadings and Osama bin Laden speeches.
Temssah also booked a flight to and a hotel in New Delhi and told the undercover officer it was a ruse.
But in court, he said he'd been lying to impress the man.
He added he'd changed his tune since his arrest and now considered ISIS as having "an evil agenda to push".
"I've actually got homosexual friends in prison," he said.
Temssah was remanded in custody to reappear for a further plea on August 30.
Australian Associated Press
