Qld Man Charged Under New Laws After Allegedly Planning Attack on Relative

A Brisbane man has become the second person charged under new Queensland laws designed to prosecute individuals planning violent offenses, even before specific actions are decided. Atallah Mohaghegh Nahavandi faces a charge of preparing or planning an offense likely to cause death or grievous bodily harm to another person.

The new legislation, part of the "Fighting Antisemitism and Keeping Guns out of the Hands of Terrorists and Criminals Amendment Bill," targets alleged offenders who have not finalized their plans but are in the preparation or planning stages. This is only the second instance a Queensland magistrate has heard such a case since the law's recent introduction.

Nahavandi, 61, is also charged with unlawful stalking as a domestic violence offense. During his appearance in Brisbane Magistrates Court, prosecutors detailed allegations that he sought an unknown third party to seriously injure his ex-wife's nephew. Recorded conversations from April allegedly captured Nahavandi suggesting brutal methods, including beating the man until he could not speak, pouring petrol on his face to blind him, and ensuring he would fall into a nine-month coma.

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Prosecution submit that the defendant is a danger toward the [man].

Police prosecutor Ellie White opposed Nahavandi's bail application, arguing he posed a significant risk to the safety and welfare of the intended victim. She stated that Nahavandi allegedly offered to provide the unnamed man with the victim's home address, vehicle details, family addresses, and work routes. Witnesses also reportedly observed Nahavandi parked outside family homes and following them, indicating a "fixation" and a "credible threat" of serious harm.

Nahavandi's duty lawyer, Zane Playle, indicated that the prosecution's case, which relies on the translation of an audio recording, would be subject to criticism. The court heard through a Farsi translator that Nahavandi unsuccessfully applied for bail.

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The basis of the prosecution case relies on a translation of an audio recording alleged to have been taken between the defendant and an associate of the complai