A former fighter pilot suspected of helping train Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) pilots has failed in a court challenge to the validity of an Australian Federal Police (AFP) raid on his home.
The AFP executed a search warrant and seized items from the home of Keith Hartley, chief operating officer of the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), in November 2022.
The warrant said Hartley was suspected of breaking commonwealth law by organising and facilitating training to PLA pilots “in regard to military aircraft platforms and military doctrine, tactics and strategy”.
Hartley sought a Federal Court order quashing the warrant, declaring it invalid and restraining the AFP from using any material seized….