Overview
- The Department of Home Affairs rejected the ex‑ASIO source’s visitor visa on Thursday because officials were not satisfied he intended only a temporary stay.
- The Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion has told the man it wants his evidence, provided a letter supporting his application, and said it will help receive a statement but will not directly obtain a visa for him.
- The witness, known as Marcus, has told reporters he warned ASIO about Sajid and Naveed Akram six years before the Bondi massacre and left Australia in 2023 after ASIO withdrew support for his residency.
- ASIO has publicly described the former source as unreliable and said he misidentified a suspect, creating a direct credibility dispute the commission must test in secure evidence sessions.
- Crossbench MPs and whistleblower advocates have urged the government to create a pathway for his testimony and offered support, warning that without access to secure, legally protected hearings the inquiry may miss material relevant to agency failures.