Terrorism case unfolds in Sydney
Conspiracy:An artist's impression of nine Muslim men charged with conspiring to make explosives in preparation for an attack as they appeared in a Sydney court yesterday. Picture: www.theage.com.au
Thursday, March 8, 2007
NINE Australian men dressed in Islamic robes appeared in a heavily guarded Sydney court Tuesday charged with planning a terrorist attack in Australia's largest city as part of a violent jihad to protect Islam.
Crown prosecutor Wendy Abraham said the men were motivated by a perception that Islam was under assault by the West and that jihad was the best response. "Violence was the primary tool of their jihad," she said, describing the men as Islamic extremists.
The men have been in a maximum security jail since 2005 when police and security agencies raided homes in Sydney and Melbourne, arresting a total of 18 men. Another nine men face terrorism charges in Melbourne.
Abraham said the men were in the possession of large quantities of chemicals and electronic timers which could be used to build explosive devices capable of killing and causing massive damage, reported local media from the court.
The men used false names to buy the chemicals and used mobile telephones under false names and had firearms and ammunition.
Documents in Arabic, with titles such as "Come In And Learn Bombing" and "Security And Intelligence", also contained extremist and instructional advice targeting embassies and other buildings, Abraham told the court.
Their targets reportedly included Australia's only nuclear reactor, at Lucas Heights in Sydney.
Telephone intercepts revealed that one of the accused, Mazen Touma, had told his mother that "Allah's satisfaction is more important than yours". Touma was relaying the conversation to a friend. "He said jihad was an obligation for every Muslim and that he did not need her permission," Ms Abraham told the court. "It is alleged he said his mother should be patient because tomorrow her children would be in paradise.
"He spoke of Allah giving him a paradise for martyrdom."
The eight other suspects are Mohammed Ali Elomar, Abdul Rakib Hasan, Khaled Cheikho, Moustafa Cheikho, Khaled Sharrouf, Mirsad Mulahalilovic, Omar Baladjam and Mohammed Jamal.
The nine men, who are not required to enter a plea during the committal hearing, arrived at the small court amid intense security, with armed police both inside and outside the court. They were seated behind armoured glass in a specially re-fitted courtroom guarded by six armed police.
Armed police surrounded the small court in the western suburb of Penrith. Inside were some 40 lawyers, along with metal safes holding top secret documents for the case.
People entering the court were scanned and forced to surrender mobile telephones and electronic equipment.
At a similar hearing in Melbourne last September, a court found that there was enough evidence for 11 other men arrested in the November raids and in subsequent sweeps to stand trial on terrorism charges.
The prosecutor in that case said the men were inspired by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and that one of the accused, cleric Abdul Nacer Benbrika, had urged them to inflict "maximum damage" in Australia for the sake of jihad.
The men were arrested days after the government passed tough new anti-terrorism legislation making it easier for police to prosecute suspects involved in the early stages of planning attacks.
PM John Howard pushed the legislation through parliament after expressing concern that Australia could face attacks similar to the deadly London transport bombings in July 2005.
The lawyer for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) asked Magistrate Michael Price on Monday that the case be conducted in a closed court for much of the hearing, which is expected to run for up to two months.
Agencies
Crown prosecutor Wendy Abraham said the men were motivated by a perception that Islam was under assault by the West and that jihad was the best response. "Violence was the primary tool of their jihad," she said, describing the men as Islamic extremists.
The men have been in a maximum security jail since 2005 when police and security agencies raided homes in Sydney and Melbourne, arresting a total of 18 men. Another nine men face terrorism charges in Melbourne.
Abraham said the men were in the possession of large quantities of chemicals and electronic timers which could be used to build explosive devices capable of killing and causing massive damage, reported local media from the court.
The men used false names to buy the chemicals and used mobile telephones under false names and had firearms and ammunition.
Documents in Arabic, with titles such as "Come In And Learn Bombing" and "Security And Intelligence", also contained extremist and instructional advice targeting embassies and other buildings, Abraham told the court.
Their targets reportedly included Australia's only nuclear reactor, at Lucas Heights in Sydney.
Telephone intercepts revealed that one of the accused, Mazen Touma, had told his mother that "Allah's satisfaction is more important than yours". Touma was relaying the conversation to a friend. "He said jihad was an obligation for every Muslim and that he did not need her permission," Ms Abraham told the court. "It is alleged he said his mother should be patient because tomorrow her children would be in paradise.
"He spoke of Allah giving him a paradise for martyrdom."
The eight other suspects are Mohammed Ali Elomar, Abdul Rakib Hasan, Khaled Cheikho, Moustafa Cheikho, Khaled Sharrouf, Mirsad Mulahalilovic, Omar Baladjam and Mohammed Jamal.
The nine men, who are not required to enter a plea during the committal hearing, arrived at the small court amid intense security, with armed police both inside and outside the court. They were seated behind armoured glass in a specially re-fitted courtroom guarded by six armed police.
Armed police surrounded the small court in the western suburb of Penrith. Inside were some 40 lawyers, along with metal safes holding top secret documents for the case.
People entering the court were scanned and forced to surrender mobile telephones and electronic equipment.
At a similar hearing in Melbourne last September, a court found that there was enough evidence for 11 other men arrested in the November raids and in subsequent sweeps to stand trial on terrorism charges.
The prosecutor in that case said the men were inspired by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and that one of the accused, cleric Abdul Nacer Benbrika, had urged them to inflict "maximum damage" in Australia for the sake of jihad.
The men were arrested days after the government passed tough new anti-terrorism legislation making it easier for police to prosecute suspects involved in the early stages of planning attacks.
PM John Howard pushed the legislation through parliament after expressing concern that Australia could face attacks similar to the deadly London transport bombings in July 2005.
The lawyer for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) asked Magistrate Michael Price on Monday that the case be conducted in a closed court for much of the hearing, which is expected to run for up to two months.
Agencies
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