Usman Khawaja's brother arrested over bogus terror plot

According to reports in Australia, Khawaja and a second man - Mohamed Kamer Nizamdeem - were embroiled in a dispute over a woman, which resulted in Khawaja allegedly attempting to frame Nizamdeem with the fabricated hit list

The brother of Australian Test batsman Usman Khawaja has been charged by police with forgery and attempting to pervert the course of justice after allegedly framing a love rival with a fake terror "hit list".

Arsalan Khawaja, 39, was arrested in Parramatta on Tuesday at the end of a counter-terrorism investigation sparked by the discovery of the bogus document at the University of New South Wales in August.

The list, which contained the names of prominent politicians and major landmarks, led to the wrongful arrest of Sri Lanka-born PhD student Mohamed Kamer Nizamdeem, who subsequently spent a month in solitary confinement before the authorities dropped charges against him when his handwriting was found not to match that in the notebook.

According to reports in Australia, Khawaja and Nizamdeem were embroiled in a dispute over a woman, which resulted in Khawaja allegedly attempting to frame Nizamdeem with the fabricated plot.

^{Australia international Usman Khawaja and, top, the cricketer's brother Arsalan}

"We will allege that that is part of the process. But as you can appreciate, the matter is before the court, so we can't go into much detail," New South Wales assistant commissioner Mick Willing told reporters.

"What we will be alleging is that he (Nizamdeen) was set up in a planned and calculated manner. Motivated, in part, by a personal grievance."

Nizamdeem has since returned to Sri Lanka and is reportedly seeking further damages. New South Wales police have paid for his court costs.

Khawaja has been granted bail on the condition that he surrenders his passport and does not go within 100 metres of the university. He is next due in court on February 12.

His brother Usman did not want to discuss the matter when asked about his brother's situation in the build-up to the first Test between Australia and India in Adelaide.

He told Fox Sports: "Out of respect for the process, it'd be inappropriate for me to make any further comments."

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