ZCZC
BSP-01
AUSTRALIA-CRICKET-CRIME
Australia Test cricketer Khawaja’s brother re-arrested
SYDNEY, Dec 28, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – The brother of Australian Test cricketer
Usman Khawaja has been charged with trying to influence a witness over a case
where he allegedly framed a love rival with a fake terror plot, police said
Friday.
Arsalan Khawaja was released on bail in early December after appearing in a
Sydney court on charges of forgery and attempting to pervert justice.
He was re-arrested on Thursday “after allegedly attempting to influence a
witness” in the counter-terror investigation, a New South Wales state police
spokeswoman told AFP.
The 39-year-old was charged with breaching his bail conditions and
influencing a witness in judicial procedures. He was refused bail ahead of
his court appearance in Sydney later Friday.
Sri Lankan Mohamed Nizamdeen was arrested in August over a “hit list”
written in a notebook, which outlined plans to kill then prime minister
Malcolm Turnbull.
But police released Nizamdeen in September and later dropped the charges
after investigators could not link the handwriting in the notebook to him.
Investigators have said they believe Arsalan Khawaja set up his university
colleague Nizamdeen in relation to a dispute over a woman.
Pakistan-born batsman Usman Khawaja, 32, is playing in the ongoing third
Test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0827 hrs