Australian Man Again From China Charged With International Interference Seeks Bail

By Kirsty Needham and Lewis Jackson

SYDNEY (Reuters) – The lawyer for an Australian charged with international interference stated his consumer had turn into “very frightened” about two alleged international intelligence brokers whereas dwelling in Shanghai and returned to Australia after a decade-long profession in China.

    Advertising govt Alexander Csergo, 55, was arrested within the beachside suburb of Bondi on Friday and is the second particular person charged underneath Australia’s international interference legislation, which criminalises exercise that helps a international energy intervene with Australia’s sovereignty or nationwide curiosity. It carries a 15 12 months jail sentence.

    Csergo is alleged to have accepted money for writing stories, which Australian federal police say contained details about Australian defence, financial and nationwide safety preparations.

    His defence lawyer, Bernard Collaery, sought bail in court docket on Monday at a Sydney native court docket, saying the stories Csergo had written had been primarily based on publicly sourced info and the case towards his consumer was “shallow and unsubstantiated”.

    The Australian Safety Intelligence Organisation had searched Csergo’s laptop computer and WeChat accounts upon his return from Shanghai, the court docket was advised.

    Choose Michael Barko questioned why Csergo had been given money in an envelope, by the 2 alleged international brokers, named in court docket solely as “Ken” and “Evelyn”, and why that they had not sought details about lithium in Australia themselves.

    “The Chinese language didn’t need it to be recognized they had been making these inquiries and receiving these stories,” Barko commented.

    Collaery stated making money funds was a typical enterprise follow in China.

    “After all he believed Ken and Evelyn had been maintaining tabs on him. That is the way it works in China, he turned very frightened about it,” Collaery stated.

    Csergo, 55, appeared in court docket by way of video hyperlink from Parklea Jail the place he’s being held as a excessive safety prisoner. His mom and brother had been in court docket.

    He had labored in China since 2002 in knowledge advertising, together with for a serious worldwide promoting company, a United States knowledge supplier, and most not too long ago as a marketing consultant for China Telecom.

    Csergo is alleged to have deliberately engaged in conduct on behalf of or in collaboration with individuals appearing on behalf of a principal, and was “reckless as as to if the conduct would help intelligence actions of a international principal, and part of the conduct was covert or concerned deception”, a court docket attendance discover confirmed.

    Collaery stated Csergo’s profession had come “tumbling down” since his arrest and he had no intention to return to China and as a substitute deliberate to pursue the Australian authorities for damages for ruining his profession.

    The listening to continues.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham and Lewis Jackson; Modifying by Michael Perry)

Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.