Convicted terrorist Benbrika jailed.

[Revenant]

AUSTRALIA'S first convicted terrorist leader has been jailed for 15 years.

Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 48, of the Melbourne suburb of Dallas, talked about attacking several Melbourne landmarks.

He was today sentenced to seven years for intentionally being a member of a terrorist organisation and five years for possessing a CD connected with the preparation of a terrorist act.
He will serve the terms concurrently.

Six of Benbrika's followers also received prison terms.

Aimen Joud, 24, of Hoppers Crossing, has been jailed for a minimum of seven-and-a-half years prison.

Abdullah Merhi, 23, of Fawkner, must serve a minimum of four years in prison.

Ahmed Raad, 25, Fawkner, will be required to serve a minimum of seven-and-a-half years.

Amer Haddara, 29, of Yarraville, was sentenced to a minimum of four-and-a-half years.

Fadl Sayadi, 29, of Coburg, was sentenced to a minimum of six years prison.
Ezzit Raad, 27, from Preston, must serve five years and nine months.

Religious obligations

Justice Bernard Bongiorno told a packed Victorian Supreme Court that Benbrika and his six followers considered violent jihad an integral part of their religious obligations, The Herald Sun reported.
Justice Bongiorno said the group often referred to themselves as mujahidin and talked about destroying buildings and killing infidels.

The group's aim was to pressure the Australian Government to withdraw troops from Iraq, he said.

Their trial heard the men had planned terrorist acts in Melbourne, including blowing up the MCG on grand final day and the Crown Casino.

Justice Bongiorno said evidence of a plot to blow up the MCG would not be taken into account because the man who gave it could not be believed.

He said Izzydeen Atik was a liar and a fraudster of significant accomplishment.

"It is unlikely the jury accepted him as a witness of truth and indeed the court will not," Justice Bongiorno said.

"Had Atik's evidence on the proposed targets been accepted, their criminality would have been significantly greater.

"It is not to say that their criminality is to be regarded as trivial."

Unskilled fanatics

The court was told the group sought explosives training from an undercover police operative known as SIO 39.

"Benbrika was cautious with SIO 39, this was in complete contrast to his dealings with members of his own group," Justice Bongiorno said.

"The group may have indeed only have been an embryonic terrorist organisation ... but the organisation fostered and encouraged its members to engage in violent jihad and to perform a terrorist act."

He said terrorist acts in modern times were carried out by unskilled fanatics like Benbrika.

Justice Bongiorno said Benbrika, a father of seven, had not renounced his beliefs.

"All the evidence points to the conclusion that he maintains his position with respect to violent jihad," he said.

Enormous influence

Justice Bongiorno said there was a need to protect society from criminals such as Benbrika, the group's spiritual laeder.

Benbrika was a former Algerian aircraft engineer who came to Australia in 1989 because he felt there were problems in following his hardline religious views in his own country.

He saw Australia as a land at war, and the judge said he was seen in the Muslim community as a learned man, but also as holding harsh religious views.

The man, known as the Sheik, was often in conflict with other Muslim organisations in Melbourne and was excluded from the Preston mosque.

The other members of the group came into contact with Benbrika, Justice Bongiorno said, through religious classes that were relatively benign.

The judge said the men were involved in a terrorist organisation between July 2004 and November 2008 when they were arrested in simultaneous raids across Melbourne.

Benbrika may have been less than expert as a terrorist but that did not matter, the judge said.

He had enormous influence over his young followers and sought to instill a hatred of non Muslims, and Muslims who did not believe in his extremist views.

The most serious charge against Benbrika was directing a terrorist organisation, the judge said.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574...97-421,00.html

[Hulda.Kin]

Good that they were convicted but why weren't they deported? Seems decent hard working Australians are going to be footing the bill for these mongrels to sit around in jail converting other criminals to their insidious way of thinking. Might be time to bring back capitol punishment.

Anyone here ever heard of Black Jack Pershing and how he dealt with these types of trouble makers :-)

Anyway, they should just not be allowed to remain in Australia where there is any chance they can convert others into their way of thinking... maybe there should be an island set aside for these types to send them for life, all countries can send their convicted terrorists to the island, keep them totally separate.

[Revenant]

Good that they were convicted but why weren't they deported?

Because our Govt only imports muslims.

Seems decent hard working Australians are going to be footing the bill for these mongrels to sit around in jail converting other criminals to their insidious way of thinking. Might be time to bring back capitol punishment.

Correct on both counts. They should get life in solitary at least.

Anyone here ever heard of Black Jack Pershing and how he dealt with these types of trouble makers :-)

Yes, it's the only way they take any notice.