Two men have been charged after a two-year counter-terrorism investigation allegedly linked them to the trafficking of firearms and military-grade equipment from Australia to a violent paramilitary group in Indonesia.

It is alleged the men — one from Queensland and one from New South Wales — conspired to supply weapons and ammunition to the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), the group behind the kidnapping of New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens.

Mr Mehrtens, who was captured in February 2023 after landing a small aircraft at West Papua's Paro Airport, was held hostage for 592 days before being released in September last year.

As part of the joint investigation into his kidnapping, Australian and New Zealand authorities uncovered evidence allegedly linking a 44-year-old man fro

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