Zaky Mallah

Zaky Mallah is an Australian who has been charged and acquitted under Australia's anti-terrorism laws.

First Australian charged under its anti-terrorism act
In 2003, when he was nineteen, Mallah was arrested under Australia's new anti-terrorism act. In 2005 the Sydney Morning Herald reported "The Federal Government was so sure Zaky Mallah planned a suicide attack on its offices in Sydney he was the first man in NSW charged under new counter-terrorism laws. Yesterday, he was the first acquitted.".

A video Mallah had made was the trigger for his arrest. Mallah reportedly made the video after he had been denied a passport.

Mallah spent two years in a high security prison, while he awaited trial.

Fired from the ANZ Stadium
In 2011 Mallah was employed by the ANZ Stadium -- until he was fired for broadcasting a video of non-public areas of the Stadium on youtube. The videos included a shot of a private dining room, for VIPs, and a shot of the kitchen, where he worked. ANZ Stadium officials stated that the broadcast breached his employment conditions. Mallah asserted that his firing was triggered by his employers learning that he had once been charged under the anti-terrorism act.

Arab Spring
In 2011, following uprisings that were part of the Arab Spring, Mallah travelled to Syria. Mallah has asserted that all the other Australians he met in Syria were filling non-combat roles, like he filled, which would not violate Australian law.

Return to Australia
In December 2012, after returning from Syria, The Australian reported Mallah claimed he had received death threats from individuals who doubted his truthfulness, and suspected he was a covert employee of Australian security agencies.

In January 2013, Mallah was a member of a panel interviewed by Australian Broadcasting Corporation journalist Stephanie Smail. According to Smail, Mallah started the Free Syria Army Australia group.

In May 2013 Mallah published a guideline for other Australians considering volunteering to help muslims in war zones how they could do so, without violating provisions in the anti-terrorism act that barred Australians from fighting in foreign wars. According to the Australian News Mallah's analysis was that various kinds of non-violent assistance in war zones would not violate Australian law. Treating wounded fighters would not violate Australian law; neither would preparing or serving rations, or carrying flags. Mallah claimed that individuals killed while aiding fighters would be martyrs entitled to the same after-life benefits an actual fighter is promised.

Zee News reported on May 18, 2013, that Mallah had been charged under the anti-terrorism act a second time for broadcasting the video.