FIREBRAND Muslim cleric Abdul Nacer Benbrika has been found guilty of directing a home-grown Melbourne terror cell.
Muslim cleric: Abdul Nacer Benbrika has been found guilty of leading a terrorist cell that plotted attacks on Melbourne that could have killed thousands.
Five followers were also convicted yesterday of being involved in Benbrika's plot to influence the Australian government by bombing various targets.
Potential targets included the MCG on Grand Final day, Melbourne's rail network and Crown casino during the Grand Prix.
But the marathon, multi-million-dollar trial continues, with the jury yet to determine the fate of Shane Kent, 30, and Amer Haddara, 29, on charges they were intentional members of a terrorist organisation.
After a seven-month trial and 22 days of deliberation, Justice Bernard Bongiorno allowed the Supreme Court jury to return split verdicts.
Benbrika was found guilty of directing a terror organisation, intentionally being a member of a terror organisation and possessing a CD connected with the preparation of a terrorist act.
Convicted group members Aimen Joud, 23, Fadl Sayadi, 28, Abdullah Merhi, 23, Ahmed Raad, 25, and Ezzit Raad, 26, watched on as four of their co-accused were acquitted and allowed to walk free.
Hany Taha, 33, Shoue Hammoud, 28, Bassam Raad, 27, and Majed Raad, 24, embraced each of those in the dock before being led away.
Flanked by their lawyers, they walked from court without comment.
Benbrika's barrister, Remy van de Wiel, QC, said he was unsure whether there would be an appeal.
"I don't make this decision. I'll wait until he tells me."
But Mr van de Wiel had only words of praise for the justice system.
"It's so wonderful to live in a democracy where a jury obviously pays this level of attention to matters like this and works this hard," he said.
Australia's biggest terrorism trial heard claims that Benbrika, also known as Sheik Abu Bakr, was a self-styled cleric with extremist Islamic views.
The group allegedly operated between July 2004 and November 2005, and had a structure including a consultative committee comprising Benbrika, Sayadi, Joud and Ahmed Raad.
The court heard claims the men were bent on committing violent jihad and had identified a packed house at the 2005 AFL Grand Final as a potential target.
ASIO raids were said to have delayed the plot with the NAB Cup and Crown casino on Grand Prix weekend named as other possible targets.
Benbrika told followers the Islamic religion allowed them to kill women and children in the name of jihad.
"It is permissible to kill (inaudible) the killing of protected women, the elderly and children," he said in a conversation recorded by police.
<Is the above true? I don't think any religion permits killing
>>
Prosecutors claimed the group wanted to put pressure of the federal government to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
A batch of 482 secretly recorded conversations between alleged group members was central to the prosecution case.
In one discussion between Benbrika and Joud in February 2005, the terror cell leader spoke about causing maximum damage.
"Everyone has to prepare himself to die or to be jailed, Allah knows best," he said.
"If we want to die in jihad we do maximum damage.
"Damage their buildings with everything, damage their lives -- just show them.
"You be careful (inaudible) . . . trust no one."
In another taped conversation, Benbrika told a follower: "We'll damage buildings. Blast things. Thinking big not small."
The court heard that Abdullah Merhi, the youngest of those convicted yesterday, was prepared to become Australia's first suicide bomber.
"There is one who wants to die for the sake of Allah," Benbrika said in another conversation recorded by police.
Benbrika and Merhi were secretly taped as they discussed the possibility of bombing Melbourne's rail network.
Merhi was found guilty of being a member of a terrorist organisation but not guilty of providing resources to it.
In May 2004, Victoria Police introduced one its undercover agents, codenamed SIO39, to some of Benbrika's followers.
He posed as a Muslim of Turkish background who had lived in Tasmania for most of his life and had just arrived in Melbourne.
SIO39 attended several of Benbrika's religious classes and played his role convincingly enough to eventually be granted long private meetings with the leader.
Benbrika trusted SIO39enough to accompany him on a bomb-testing trip on October 6, 2004, to Drag Hill Rd, Kilmore -- a remote part of the Mt Disappointment forest.
The pair blew up a smaller version of a huge chemical-based bomb Benbrika was secretly taped discussing with SIO39.
Tapes of SIO39 and Benbrika reveal Benbrika was keen to learn all SIO39 knew about explosives, particularly how much was needed to destroy things.
SIO39 first introduced the topic of explosives, and his expertise in them, to Benbrika during a discussion between them in Benbrika's home on September 22, 2004.
They had earlier discussed jihad being pursued by Muslims overseas in retaliation for what Benbrika considered were atrocities committed against innocent Muslims in Iraq and elsewhere.
Benbrika told SIO39 that jihad was justified in Australia because the nation had joined forces with the US in Iraq and Afghanistan
Sources:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24351760-661,00.html
http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2008/09/15/news/OUKWD-UK-SECURITY-AUSTRALIA-TRIAL.php
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=7cae7a68-ad1d-4199-b5d6-ab74ff44256d
Five followers were also convicted yesterday of being involved in Benbrika's plot to influence the Australian government by bombing various targets.
Potential targets included the MCG on Grand Final day, Melbourne's rail network and Crown casino during the Grand Prix.
But the marathon, multi-million-dollar trial continues, with the jury yet to determine the fate of Shane Kent, 30, and Amer Haddara, 29, on charges they were intentional members of a terrorist organisation.
After a seven-month trial and 22 days of deliberation, Justice Bernard Bongiorno allowed the Supreme Court jury to return split verdicts.
Benbrika was found guilty of directing a terror organisation, intentionally being a member of a terror organisation and possessing a CD connected with the preparation of a terrorist act.
Convicted group members Aimen Joud, 23, Fadl Sayadi, 28, Abdullah Merhi, 23, Ahmed Raad, 25, and Ezzit Raad, 26, watched on as four of their co-accused were acquitted and allowed to walk free.
Hany Taha, 33, Shoue Hammoud, 28, Bassam Raad, 27, and Majed Raad, 24, embraced each of those in the dock before being led away.
Flanked by their lawyers, they walked from court without comment.
Benbrika's barrister, Remy van de Wiel, QC, said he was unsure whether there would be an appeal.
"I don't make this decision. I'll wait until he tells me."
But Mr van de Wiel had only words of praise for the justice system.
"It's so wonderful to live in a democracy where a jury obviously pays this level of attention to matters like this and works this hard," he said.
Australia's biggest terrorism trial heard claims that Benbrika, also known as Sheik Abu Bakr, was a self-styled cleric with extremist Islamic views.
The group allegedly operated between July 2004 and November 2005, and had a structure including a consultative committee comprising Benbrika, Sayadi, Joud and Ahmed Raad.
The court heard claims the men were bent on committing violent jihad and had identified a packed house at the 2005 AFL Grand Final as a potential target.
ASIO raids were said to have delayed the plot with the NAB Cup and Crown casino on Grand Prix weekend named as other possible targets.
Benbrika told followers the Islamic religion allowed them to kill women and children in the name of jihad.
"It is permissible to kill (inaudible) the killing of protected women, the elderly and children," he said in a conversation recorded by police.
<Is the above true? I don't think any religion permits killing
>>Prosecutors claimed the group wanted to put pressure of the federal government to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
A batch of 482 secretly recorded conversations between alleged group members was central to the prosecution case.
In one discussion between Benbrika and Joud in February 2005, the terror cell leader spoke about causing maximum damage.
"Everyone has to prepare himself to die or to be jailed, Allah knows best," he said.
"If we want to die in jihad we do maximum damage.
"Damage their buildings with everything, damage their lives -- just show them.
"You be careful (inaudible) . . . trust no one."
In another taped conversation, Benbrika told a follower: "We'll damage buildings. Blast things. Thinking big not small."
The court heard that Abdullah Merhi, the youngest of those convicted yesterday, was prepared to become Australia's first suicide bomber.
"There is one who wants to die for the sake of Allah," Benbrika said in another conversation recorded by police.
Benbrika and Merhi were secretly taped as they discussed the possibility of bombing Melbourne's rail network.
Merhi was found guilty of being a member of a terrorist organisation but not guilty of providing resources to it.
In May 2004, Victoria Police introduced one its undercover agents, codenamed SIO39, to some of Benbrika's followers.
He posed as a Muslim of Turkish background who had lived in Tasmania for most of his life and had just arrived in Melbourne.
SIO39 attended several of Benbrika's religious classes and played his role convincingly enough to eventually be granted long private meetings with the leader.
Benbrika trusted SIO39enough to accompany him on a bomb-testing trip on October 6, 2004, to Drag Hill Rd, Kilmore -- a remote part of the Mt Disappointment forest.
The pair blew up a smaller version of a huge chemical-based bomb Benbrika was secretly taped discussing with SIO39.
Tapes of SIO39 and Benbrika reveal Benbrika was keen to learn all SIO39 knew about explosives, particularly how much was needed to destroy things.
SIO39 first introduced the topic of explosives, and his expertise in them, to Benbrika during a discussion between them in Benbrika's home on September 22, 2004.
They had earlier discussed jihad being pursued by Muslims overseas in retaliation for what Benbrika considered were atrocities committed against innocent Muslims in Iraq and elsewhere.
Benbrika told SIO39 that jihad was justified in Australia because the nation had joined forces with the US in Iraq and Afghanistan
Sources:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24351760-661,00.html
http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2008/09/15/news/OUKWD-UK-SECURITY-AUSTRALIA-TRIAL.php
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=7cae7a68-ad1d-4199-b5d6-ab74ff44256d
