The evidence against a Sydney youth accused of planning a "terrifying" public terrorist act consists of a single intercepted phone call that was mistranslated by police, a court has heard.
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And the defence barrister for the alleged terrorist plotter says his client has been placed in a high-security cell in the state's toughest prison at Goulburn "without explanation", and denied visits from his family.
Omarjan Azari, 22, was arrested at his home at Guildford in Sydney's west in September during the largest counter-terrorism operation in Australia's history.
He was charged with conspiring to plan or prepare a terrorist act, which police allege was intended to "shock, horrify and terrify the community".
Police allege that Mr Azari was involved in planning a terrorist act in a phone call with Mohammad Ali Baryalei, Australia's most senior member of the terrorist group, Islamic State.
The plot allegedly involved selecting and murdering a random member of the community in a public place and draping them in an Islamic State flag, while others recorded the crime on video.
However, during a brief appearance for Mr Azari in Central Local Court on Thursday, the 22-year-old's barrister, Winston Terracini, QC, said the evidence against his client was both limited and flawed.
"It seems in fact there was only one phone call, despite previous claims there are others," said Mr Terracini.
"There are inaccuracies in the translation [of the phone call].
"There was at least one appalling error which goes to the absolute crux of whether this man ever actually acquiesced in the carrying out of a terrorist act."
Mr Terracini also said that his client was being held in a high-security cell at Goulburn jail since his arrest in September, and that his sisters and parents had been prevented from visiting him.
"There's been no explanation as to why he is in Goulburn - we have been waiting for one from Corrective Services for six weeks," Mr Terracini said.
"Prosecuting authorities acting in secret have made an application [for Ms Azari to go to Goulburn] but have refused to reveal what these 'issues' are."
He said the defence had applied to the NSW Supreme Court demanding that Mr Azari's relatives be allowed access. He also demanded that all the evidence against his client be given to the defence so that they could prepare a bail application on December 19.
Karen Leavy from the Director of Public Prosecutions denied that prosecutors had any role in Mr Azari being sent to Goulburn.
She said that police and prosecutors were analysing the evidence in the case as quickly as possible, including voice identification material, which was "central to the Crown case".
Mr Azari will return to court on December 19.
