Information sent via the popular mobile messaging service WhatsApp will be "crucial evidence" in the case of two men accused of planning a terrorist attack in Sydney, a court has heard.
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Omar al-Kutobi, 24, and Mohammad Kiad, 25, were arrested in February just hours before they were allegedly going to kill a randomly selected civilian.
Police stormed their granny flat in Fairfield, allegedly seizing a hunting knife, a machete and a video of Mr al-Kutobi kneeling in front of a home-made Islamic State flag and vowing in Arabic to attack the "kidneys and necks" of Australians.
They came to the attention of authorities when one of the men bought a hunting knife at a military and camping supplies store.
Both men were charged with "do act in preparation/planning for terrorist act".
When the two men appeared briefly in Central Local Court on Wednesday, the prosecution said there was a delay in serving the brief of evidence while police trawled through "thousands" of images on "witnesses phones".
The prosecutor, who declined to give her name, said that these messages had been sent via WhatsApp - an online messaging service that allows users to send short text messages for free.
The analysis was proving difficult because the phones in question were encrypted.
The matter was adjourned and will return to court on September 16.
