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The elderly husband who has been charged with the murder of two women in Victoria nearly 24 years ago - one of them being his wife - has described the accusations as 'bizarre'.

A Melbourne security guard and homelessness volunteer accused of attempting to travel to the Middle East to join the fight against the Islamic State has been released on bail.Defence lawyer Sam Norton said Mr Williams had taken steps to engage in the conflict lawfully and was trying to join the Yekineyen Parastina Gel, a Kurdish paramilitary group that was recognised by western nations.

As part of his submissions, defence lawyer Lou Richter included a judgment from more than 20 years ago by the then-chief justice John Harber Phillips on an appeal by the man's father against his 23-year jail sentence for sex crimes.

Under questioning from Mr Stary, the detective conceded none of Mr El Sabsabi's alleged offending included any instances of violent conduct, and that he had co-operated with authorities.

Jesse Smith told Deputy Chief Magistrate Lance Martin that the legislation provided "dramatically expanded, draconian and unprecedented police powers.

"You have a great risk of people who travel to any of those locations then being charged with an offence, and then having to establish their innocence, quite probably whilst they are in custody. If they're exonerated, they get no recompense, and that will result in enormous injustice" Robert Stary said.

Chair of the Law Institute of Victoria's criminal law section Sam Norton said: “Young people were placed on the sex offenders register and had their career ruined. These changes are to be applauded.

Defence lawyer Sam Norton had said that his client's relationship with a woman had ended on Christmas Eve and in a letter to the court Davis apologised to the Hussain family.

Defence lawyer, Rob Stary discusses the political context of latest anti-terror raids, past cases based on entrapment and dubious evidence, and the danger of new legislative norms creeping into the realm of industrial relations and protest policing.

Katarina Ljubicic submitted her young client had shown "extraordinary insight" into his offending which had had a "profound impact on him".

Melbourne lawyer Rob Stary agreed, saying Mr Big stings have been criticised for years. The police tactic created by Canadian police in the 1990s was adopted in Victoria to solve at least four unsolved murders.

Rob Stary, for Martinelli, who pleaded guilty to recklessly causing serious injury, said police had agreed for the case against both men to proceed by way of a diversion hearing on Thursday morning, but another magistrate had refused to grant the application.