Results 1 to 5 of 5
  1. #1
    Thailand Expat
    panama hat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Last Online
    21-10-2023 @ 08:08 AM
    Location
    Way, Way South of the border now - thank God!
    Posts
    32,680

    Parramatta Court, Australia's Guantanamo. Amazing how justice can be done ..legally

    Sydney jihadist conspirators jailed

    MALCOLM BROWN
    February 15, 2010 - 2:39PM

    Five Sydney men convicted of terrorism-related offences have been sentenced to maximum sentences ranging from 23 to 28 years in prison.

    Justice Anthony Whealy, who presided over a trial that began in November 2008, said in the Supreme Court at Parramatta that the offence of conspiring to commit an act in preparation for a terrorist act or acts was higher on the scale of criminality.

    He said today that he was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that each of the offenders had intended that the end result of their actions would be serious damage to property, carrying with it the risk of death or injury to the public.

    The men are not allowed to be named for legal reasons.

    The first man, 44, regarded as the principal organiser of the conspiracy, was sentenced to a maximum term of 28 years in prison, commencing on November 8, 2005, when he was arrested, with a non-parole period of 21 years.

    The second man 36, was sentenced to 27 years in prison from the time of his arrest in 2005, with a non-parole period of 20 years and three months.

    The third man, 40, was sentenced to 20 years in prison from the time of his arrest in 2005, with a non-parole period of 19 years and six months.

    The fourth man, 34, was also sentenced to 26 years in prison from the time of his arrest in 2005, with a non-parole period also of 19 years and six months.

    The fifth man, 25, who entered the conspiracy later than the others and was not arrested until September 21, 2006, received a term of 23 years, backdated to the time of his arrest with a non-parole period of 17 years and three months.

    The five men were among nine people arrested in a huge police and ASIO crackdown in 2005 and 2006.

    Of those, four have pleaded guilty to lesser offences and have been dealt with.

    The five who elected to go on trial pleaded not guilty and were convicted on October 16 last year.

    Justice Whealy said in his remarks on sentencing today that the jury had apparently been satisfied that each of the five had intended that acts be carried in Australia involving the detonation of explosives. He said the jury must have been satisfied that this was for the purpose of carrying out violent jihad so as to coerce the Australian government to change its policies regarding the invasion of Muslim countries.

    Justice Whealy said that what was particularly appalling was the videos and other extremist materials that had been found in possession of the accused.

    He said that some of the videos involving executions were so horrific that they had not been shown to the jury. Instead, only a written summary had been provided.

    Each of the offenders, Justice Whealy said, had been driven by a religious zeal, and the fact that it was a conspiracy meant that it took on a life of its own and was more menacing than the individual acts of the participants.

    He said that chemicals for bomb making and ammunition had been accumulated in preparation for a terrorist act or acts and he noted that there was "a wide range" of material that had never been recovered and might be available to terrorists in future conspiracies.

    Justice Whealy was not satisfied that the accused men had intended to kill.

    But he was satisfied that, because of the extreme nature in their views, what they intended to happen contained the possibility that life would be taken.

    The five accused wore traditional clothing and four of them wore prayer caps.

    During the judge's summing up, some of them smiled and, during breaks in his address, some of them exchanged pleasantries with each other.

    After the sentences were pronounced and the judge left the bench, all five broke into smiles.

    Two men shouted from the back of the court in Arabic: "Be patient. Allah is with you."
    Yes, Allah will be with you in jail for decades and decades . . .


    Why is it that the US is so aghast at the thought of allowing representation by a legal entity in cases like these? If there is proof . . . let the judicial system decide.

    No need for the likes of Guantanamo, is there?! Well, unless you need to use torture to gain information

  2. #2
    Member
    Bazzy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Last Online
    24-05-2023 @ 02:47 AM
    Posts
    979
    These guys were arrested on Australian soil and so were tried in an Australian court. I think the same would apply in the USA. Guantanamo only has people that were detained outside the USA as far as I know. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a supporter of the questionable legal position of the USA with respect to guantanamo.

  3. #3
    Thailand Expat
    panama hat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Last Online
    21-10-2023 @ 08:08 AM
    Location
    Way, Way South of the border now - thank God!
    Posts
    32,680
    Yes, Bazzy, you are right, of course.

    The secondary point I was trying to make is that the US has already tried foreign terrorists in their court system but some want to end that and have military courts only . . . preferably in Cuba.

    The main point is that people can be convicted based on proof . . . instead of being locked up in a place like GB for a decade based on . . . nothing.

  4. #4
    Member
    Bazzy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Last Online
    24-05-2023 @ 02:47 AM
    Posts
    979
    I'm sure that they were subjected to the full force of the law is aus that also includes the ability to detain for extended periods with no evidence. I read a media article somewhere that concluded that the erosion of civil rights in australia since 9/11 is greater than in the USA and uk.

    It's all well set up for a dictator now. On the other hand I am glad they caught these scumbags before they killed anyone.

  5. #5
    Thailand Expat
    panama hat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Last Online
    21-10-2023 @ 08:08 AM
    Location
    Way, Way South of the border now - thank God!
    Posts
    32,680
    Quote Originally Posted by Bazzy
    I read a media article somewhere that concluded that the erosion of civil rights in australia since 9/11 is greater than in the USA and uk.
    I'd appreciate a link if you have one . . . but yes, Australia is not isolated when it comes to big brother . . .

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •