A Sydney man accused of preparing to go to Syria to fight for Islamic State would still be on PlayStation living a lonely existence if an undercover operative had not "pushed him so hard", a jury has been told.
"For a very lonely, isolated man, I suppose it must have appeared to be a pleasant thing for someone to be taking an interest in him," said Moudasser Taleb's barrister, Michael Finnane QC, on Tuesday.
He was opening the defence case at the Supreme Court trial of his 24-year-old client who has pleaded not guilty to preparing - between early February and mid-June 2017 - to travel to Syria for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities.
Taleb was arrested at Sydney Airport with a bag containing military clothing, a sleeping bag, tactical gloves, a solar charger and other gear.
The jury has heard secretly recorded tapes and videos of conversations and meetings Taleb had with an undercover operative and been told of material found on Taleb's phone, including graphic Islamic State propaganda videos.
In one meeting, the operative asked where Taleb wanted to go last time "Iraq or Syria?".
Taleb replied: "I dunno, I swear" and the operative said "you have to decide brother, you have to tell me".
After more exchanges, Taleb said Syria and the operative replied "I will talk to them" and advised him to "keep practising, keep training".
Mr Finnane said Taleb was an incredibly isolated, lonely young man, who played a lot of war games on his PlayStation and cared for his mother who has multiple sclerosis.
Most of the clothing and other gear he had at the airport was bought by him after encouragement from the undercover operative whose task was to get Taleb to incriminate himself, the QC said.
"At no stage does my client say he wants to go and fight anyone," he said.
"At no stage does he say he wants to kill anyone, nor does he say he wants to overthrown any government."
When the operative was recorded asking Taleb what he would do next if he was turned away at the airport, he replied: "I can just look after my mum."
"Does that sound like a terrorist in the making?" Mr Finnane asked.
The trial continues before Justice Peter Hamill.
Australian Associated Press
