Teenager attended Islamist group lecture before murder
The young gunman who callously murdered a Sydney police worker has been linked to an Islamist group already under investigation for radicalising children as young as six.
7 News understands Farhad Khalil Mohammad Jabar was at a mosque attending a lecture given by Hizb ut-Tahrir just before donning a black robe and launching a shocking daylight attack in a Parramatta street.
A police investigation into Hizb ut-Tahrir was launched in 2014 after 7 News unearthed video of a six-year-old boy at one of the group’s youth meetings being told "you're never too young to be a Soldier for Khalifa".
The grieving family of Curtis Cheng, the 58-year-old police worker killed in the attack police believe was politically motivated and linked to terrorism, say they are heartbroken by the loss of a loving, generous and gentle father who always put the family first.
Investigations are continuing into what motivated Farhad Jabar to carry out a terror-related shooting that left Selina Cheng without her soulmate and children Zilvia and Alpha without a father.
"We are deeply saddened and heartbroken that he has been taken from us, but we are truly grateful for the fruitful and happy life he has shared with us," they said in a statement.
Curtis Cheng pictured with his family. Photo: NSW Police
The 15-year-old perpetrator fired more shots before he was killed by special constables outside the police force's Parramatta headquarters.
Farhad, who was wearing black flowing robes, was said to have been pacing up and down shouting “Allah, Allah” outside the Parramatta police station before shooting Mr Cheng dead at close range.
Mr Cheng, an accountant, was leaving work for the weekend and was likely a random target.
The teenager, who is of Iraqi-Kurdish background, is thought to have been a “clean-skin” and was not on the radar of police or intelligence agencies.
But police have not ruled out that the boy may have been encouraged in Australia to carry out the attack and they are racing to discover how he got a handgun.
Police and intelligence agencies are hoping families will dob in children they fear might be planning a terror attack as they seek answers to a deadly shooting in Sydney.
The Turnbull Government has signalled it wants a clean break from Tony Abbott’s blunt approach to the extremist threat, seeking help from the Muslim community to identify potential plotters.
The Australian Federal Police and ASIO have been warning for months they fear a growing number of young people are coming into contact with radical groups over the internet, leaving authorities little hope of identifying them before they launch attacks.
It was claimed yesterday that the boy’s older brother tipped off police about his identity. There are also reports that Farhad’s sister Shadi has fled Australia and may be trying to make her way to Turkey or Iraq.
Police have searched Farhad’s home and have executed a warrant on the Parramatta mosque the gunman is thought to have visited before launching his attack.
The federal government, police and agencies are working with the Muslim community to combat extremism and prevent young people from being radicalised.
Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop says families will be Australia's frontline of defence against radicalisation.
She has the backing of at least one prominent Muslim community leader - Jamal Rifi - who appealed to parents to reach out and seek help for at-risk children.
Dr Rifi says parents should seek help early and made a special appeal to Muslim fathers and said relations between the federal government and senior Muslim figures had changed for the better.
“The mood right now has shifted," he said.
"It’s not about blame it’s about solution."
