The chilling letter left for the Australian-based family of an Iraqi MP has been revealed after a western Sydney man admitted to his part in a $10m extortion plot.
Linous Toutxjmtzywo, 25, and Zigalo Sogora, 23, were arrested in co-ordinated international raids involving NSW Police in February 2021, which brought to an end a campaign aimed at intimidating the Sydney-based family of Ahmed Al Asadi.
Touto was due to learn his fate in Liverpool Local Court on Monday, however his sentence proceedings were delayed.
However, Touto’s role in the scheme can be revealed after he pleaded guilty to charges of destroy or damage property by fire and participating in a criminal group.
A statement of facts tendered to the court revealed Touto was recruited via social media by Edmonton-based man Ghazi Shanta in late 2020.
While Mr Al Asadi lives and works in Iraq for most of the year, his wife and family remained in Australia at their western Sydney address.
The ordeal for the family began in August 2020 when their Chester Hill home was sprayed with bullets in a drive-by shooting.
It’s not alleged Touto or Sogora were involved in that attack.
Later that month, Mr Al Asadi was contacted via his official Instagram account demanding $10m and threatening harm to his family.
In the coming weeks and months he continued to receive threats from the account run by Shanta, court documents state.
In November, Shanta contacted Touto via social media and offered him money and forwarded him Mr Al Asadi’s western Sydney address.
On February 5 2021, Sogora threw a brick through the politician’s family’s home, with the attack recorded on a mobile phone and later sent to Mr Al Asadi.
A week-and-a-half later, Touto and Sogora returned in the early hours and left a note on the family’s front door, according to the court documents.
“This letter to ALasadiy (sic) and his wife,” the letter said.
“We have warned you more than once. Your husband have to contact us as soon as possible before it is late.
“We are watching you everywhere. Contact us on WhatsApp as soon as possible. Last warning.”
Touto then sprayed petrol across the landing and set it alight with a match, with Sogora recording the fireball which was later forwarded onto Shanta and then onto Mr Al Asadi.
One of Shanta’s associates on two occasions forwarded Touto $2000, cash, with Sogora claiming he received $900.
Touto was caught on police intercepts boasting about receiving $2000, even sending his mate a picture of the cash.
On February 25, Touto was arrested at his Blacktown home where officers seized his mobile phone on which they found images and recordings of Mr Al Asadi’s home.
They also found a screenshot of a currency conversion of US$300,000 into Australian money.
Touto would later tell police Shanta had wanted him to kidnap one of Mr Al Asadi’s family members for $300,000, however he refused to take part, court documents state.
“Touto informed police that following the letter and fire at the resident on 14 February 2021 he and Shanta had discussed kidnapping a family member of Al Asadi in order to force them to negotiate with him, however Touto states he was reluctant to commit such an offence and would have refused if the matter was pressed,” the statement of facts said.
Touto will be sentenced next week.
Sogora was in December sentenced to a nine-month intensive corrections order.
He pleaded guilty to destroying property and participating in a criminal group over his roles in the brick and arson attacks.
