Cairns court approves extradition of 'tinnie terrorists' to Melbourne

A Cairns magistrate has approved the extradition of the alleged "tinnie terrorists" from Queensland to Victoria.

Warrants were issued for all five men, but there was a delay in proceedings while attempts were made to contact the lawyer of one of the accused.

Magistrate Joe Pinder approved the extradition order of all five men in the magistrates' court Monday.

All five accused were represented by the same lawyer, Jesse Smith, who did not object to the court's ruling.

The five men stand accused of planning to travel to Indonesia in a small fishing boat with the aim of heading to join Islamic State in Syria.

The five men, aged between 21 and 31, fronted the Cairns Magistrates' Court where officers from the Australian Federal Police's joint counter terrorism teams argued they should be extradited to Melbourne.

Old photo of preacher Musa Cerantonio outside the Vatican with a flag that says “there is no god but Allah, Mohammed is the messenger of Allah". Photo: Facebook/7News

Photo: 7News

Islamic preacher Musa Cerantonio, who has been described as "an outspoken cheerleader for ISIS", was arrested near Cairns on Tuesday along with Shayden Thorne, Kadir Kaya, Antonio Grenata and another, so-far unidentified, man.

Authorities swooped the alleged jihadists were found towing a seven-metre fishing boat en route to Cape York in Far North Queensland from Melbourne.

The men, aged 31, 21, 25, 28 and 30, had their passports cancelled because over fears they were going to join the militant group in the Middle East.

The boat was allegedly their plan B.

"Their intentions to travel to Middle East to engage in terrorist war-fighting were known to the authorities," Attorney-General George Brandis said.

“The suspicion is that they were seeking to leave Australia by vessel to avoid the fact that they couldn’t travel by air because their passports had been cancelled."

Known IS supporter Musa Cerantonio was captured on CCTV before allegedly trying to flee to Syria by boat.

Shayden Thorne could spend life in prison. Photo: 7 News

• Five charged over 'IS tinny plot'

• Grandmother of Cairns 'jihadist' shocked

• Track pants, tubing and one pack of water: Inside would-be terrorists' 'IS boat'

Police charged the men with one count each of making preparations for incursions into foreign countries to engage in hostile activities.

They face a maximum penalty of life in jail if found guilty.

"That is a crime that is committed when people travel from Australia to participate in a civil war or terrorist war-fighting overseas," Mr Brandis said.

Mr Brandis said there are a number of people under police surveillance across the country but said the terrorism alert level remains probable, the level it peaked to in September 2014.

Mr Cerantonio was born a Catholic but converted to Islam as a teenager, was arrested and deported from the Philippines to Australia in 2014 for violating immigration laws.

Last week 7 News revealed CCTV of the five men who were captured making their last stop at the remote Palmer River Roadhouse before they were arrested.

The security cameras captured the group wearing basketball singlets as they refueled, bought drinks and acted calm and casual.

Anyone who sees suspicious activity is urged to phone the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.

News break – May 16