Usman Khawaja's brother jailed in Australia over fake terror plot
Arsalan Tariq Khawaja admitted forging entries in the notebook of a University of New South Wales co-worker, including claims of a planned terror attack against Australia's Boxing Day Test in Melbourne
Thursday 5 November 2020 12:50, UK
Australia batsman Usman Khawaja's elder brother has been jailed after framing a colleague using a fake terror plot.
Arsalan Tariq Khawaja, 40, admitted forging entries in the notebook of University of New South Wales co-worker Kamer Nizamdeen in August 2018, after becoming jealous of his contact with a mutual female friend.
The notebook, which was handed to university staff, contained death threats against the country's then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, as well as a list of terror targets, including the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
Mr Nizamdeen was arrested, locked up in a maximum-security jail for four weeks and incorrectly labelled a terrorist in the media before police discovered he had been set up.
Arsalan Tariq Khawaja also admitted phoning authorities in 2017 about a love rival, another man of whom he was jealous, and making visa and terrorism accusations against him.
He was jailed for four years and six months, with a non-parole period of two years and six months backdated to the time he first went into custody.
Usman Khawaja, who has played 44 Tests and 40 ODIs for his country, previously gave evidence stating that he looked up to his brother, who had been popular, did well at school and university, and had obtained clearance to do government work.
"Up until this period of his life, he had been an ideal citizen... a model citizen, up until recently," said the Australia left-hander.
