A Queensland man has been arrested for allegedly aiding the escape of Sayet Erhan Akca, a fugitive linked to the Sydney caravan terror hoax and multiple antisemitic attacks.
Federal police arrested Sean Eamon Ryan, 57, in Bargara, near Bundaberg, on Thursday. He faces charges of people smuggling and providing support to a criminal organization.
Authorities allege that Ryan and an accomplice crewed a boat that helped Akca flee Australia in September 2023. The group allegedly sailed from Thursday Island to Phuket, Thailand, arriving in November.
At the time, Akca was awaiting trial on drug importation charges. He is also a high-level suspect in the counterterrorism task force’s investigation into the Dural caravan explosives hoax and antisemitic attacks across Sydney.
During the raid of Ryan’s Bundaberg home, police seized electronic devices. The court heard that Ryan allegedly destroyed evidence by dropping his phone into the ocean near Phuket.
Despite opposition from prosecutors, Ryan was granted bail with strict conditions, including electronic monitoring and a ban on airports or seaports. He is set to appear in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on May 16.
Meanwhile, Sayet Erhan Akca remains at large, with authorities still seeking to question him regarding the alleged hoax and organized crime links.
