Accused tinnie terrorists hindered: court

The so-called alleged tinnie terrorists are being disadvantaged by the failure of prosecutors to name their alleged final destination, their lawyers say.

Robert Musa Cerantonio, Paul Dacre, Shayden Thorne, Kadir Kaya, Murat Kaya and Antonio Granata have been charged over an alleged plan to sail from Cape York to the Philippines to join Islamic State sympathisers.

Cerantonio's barrister Gideon Boas told Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday a failure to specify the final destination in the charges faced by the men was unfair and deprived the defence of being able to properly test evidence.

Mr Boas argued that a failure to specify where the alleged hostile activity was to occur could lead to an application to strike out the charge down the track.

However, the prosecution said the charges brought against the accused men have been appropriately worded in time for the five-day committal hearing in May.

The hearing will be a large one, with 14 legal professionals at the bar table alone.

A number of witnesses will appear via video link, some from overseas, including an expert on insurgencies.

None of the accused appeared at Friday's hearing. Their defence is funded by Legal Aid.