An Australian who had his passport cancelled by ASIO over terrorism concerns has been convicted in a Lebanese court after allegedly travelling to Pakistan to train with an extremist group.
The Australian says it understands Wiam Chaouk, 23, had his Australian passport cancelled after a request from ASIO, which was concerned about his alleged links to extremists.
Chaouk's lawyer, Noufal Abboud, said his client had been convicted of a passport offence.
Mr Abboud claimed ASIO's action, after Chaouk arrived in Lebanon, prompted his client's need for a fake Moroccan passport.
"He then left Lebanon using a smuggler, but at some stage en route he needed a passport to enter Pakistan, and it was there and then the smuggler provided him with the false passport," Mr Abboud told the newspaper.
Chaouk, no relation to slain Melbourne crime boss Macchour Chaouk, was charged with four offences, including membership of a terrorist group, passport fraud, weapons offences and offences against the security of state.
He was convicted by Lebanon's Permanent Military Court and sentenced with two co-conspirators to a year's jail. He is due for release in three months.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed the conviction, but said Lebanese courts did not immediately specify which charges a defendant had been convicted of.
"The embassy in Beirut is waiting for the court's written judgment, which will provide further details about the conviction," a DFAT spokeswoman said.
Chaouk's lawyer denied his client intended to train with a terror group and said his visit to Pakistan stemmed from a desire to live in a society were "moral and religious values mattered".
One of his co-defendants, Bilal Sabouneh, told the court the group planned ultimately to go to Afghanistan to fight coalition forces - a claim Chaouk denied.
Mr Abboud confirmed to The Australian on Sunday night his client had chosen to live in Lebanon over Australia, citing "constant surveillance" by Australian authorities.
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