Gumleaf
September 16th, 2008, 06:41 PM
05:49 AEST Wed Sep 17 2008
The West Gate Bridge was one of the targets of Melbourne's terror cell, secret police tapes have revealed.
Seven men have now been found guilty of being part of a homegrown Australian terror cell which plotted to kill thousands of people, while another alleged member is to face a retrial.
A Victorian Supreme Court jury on Tuesday found Amer Haddara guilty of being a member of a terrorist organisation, the day after six others, including the group's leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika, were convicted of the same offence.
All seven men will appeal their convictions, lawyer Rob Stary said outside court.
News Limited newspapers on Wednesday quoted a taped conversation between Benbrika, fellow conspirator Fadl Sayadi and an associate apparently discussing bombing the West Gate Bridge.
They talked about having discussions with a person familiar with the bridge's security, the newspaper said.
"Yeah, you go under to where the big, need-to-hold-it-up part ...", the associate said.
"You could bring down the West Gate".
Sayadi suggested someone could dive under the bridge and plant "thingos underneath".
The jury in Australia's biggest terror trial was unable to reach a verdict against Shane Kent who was charged with being a member of the terror group.
Kent, 31, from Meadow Heights, was remanded in custody to be retried at a later date. His lawyer John O'Sullivan indicated he would apply for bail later this week.
After failing to reach a verdict on Kent in 22 days of deliberations, the jury was discharged by Supreme Court Justice Bernard Bongiorno, finally bringing an end to one of the longest and most drama-filled trials in Victorian history.
The 115-day trial heard that Benbrika, also known as Sheik Abu Bakr, told followers it was "permissible to kill women, children and the aged" and had planned to bomb the MCG on AFL grand final day in 2005.
He also told his followers the group needed to kill at least 1,000 non-believers to make the Australian government withdraw soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of the trial's key pieces of evidence came from Izzydeen Atik, who was arrested with the 12 others who stood trial, but pleaded guilty and became a prosecution witness.
Atik, who was sentenced to a minimum of four years and one month jail last year, said he was told by Benbrika of a plot to blow up the MCG.
On Tuesday, jurors found Benbrika, 48, of Dallas, Sayadi, 28, of Coburg, Aimen Joud, 23, of Hoppers Crossing, Abdullah Merhi, 22, of Fawkner, Ezzit Raad, 26, of Preston, and Ahmed Raad, 24, also of Fawkner guilty of being members of a terrorist organisation.
Benbrika was also found guilty of leading the group.
Hany Taha, 33, of Hadfield, Bassam Raad, 26, of Brunswick, Majed Raad, 23, of Coburg, and Shoue Hammoud, 28, of Hadfield were found not guilty.
Pre-sentence hearings for the seven guilty men will begin on November 18.
The West Gate Bridge was one of the targets of Melbourne's terror cell, secret police tapes have revealed.
Seven men have now been found guilty of being part of a homegrown Australian terror cell which plotted to kill thousands of people, while another alleged member is to face a retrial.
A Victorian Supreme Court jury on Tuesday found Amer Haddara guilty of being a member of a terrorist organisation, the day after six others, including the group's leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika, were convicted of the same offence.
All seven men will appeal their convictions, lawyer Rob Stary said outside court.
News Limited newspapers on Wednesday quoted a taped conversation between Benbrika, fellow conspirator Fadl Sayadi and an associate apparently discussing bombing the West Gate Bridge.
They talked about having discussions with a person familiar with the bridge's security, the newspaper said.
"Yeah, you go under to where the big, need-to-hold-it-up part ...", the associate said.
"You could bring down the West Gate".
Sayadi suggested someone could dive under the bridge and plant "thingos underneath".
The jury in Australia's biggest terror trial was unable to reach a verdict against Shane Kent who was charged with being a member of the terror group.
Kent, 31, from Meadow Heights, was remanded in custody to be retried at a later date. His lawyer John O'Sullivan indicated he would apply for bail later this week.
After failing to reach a verdict on Kent in 22 days of deliberations, the jury was discharged by Supreme Court Justice Bernard Bongiorno, finally bringing an end to one of the longest and most drama-filled trials in Victorian history.
The 115-day trial heard that Benbrika, also known as Sheik Abu Bakr, told followers it was "permissible to kill women, children and the aged" and had planned to bomb the MCG on AFL grand final day in 2005.
He also told his followers the group needed to kill at least 1,000 non-believers to make the Australian government withdraw soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of the trial's key pieces of evidence came from Izzydeen Atik, who was arrested with the 12 others who stood trial, but pleaded guilty and became a prosecution witness.
Atik, who was sentenced to a minimum of four years and one month jail last year, said he was told by Benbrika of a plot to blow up the MCG.
On Tuesday, jurors found Benbrika, 48, of Dallas, Sayadi, 28, of Coburg, Aimen Joud, 23, of Hoppers Crossing, Abdullah Merhi, 22, of Fawkner, Ezzit Raad, 26, of Preston, and Ahmed Raad, 24, also of Fawkner guilty of being members of a terrorist organisation.
Benbrika was also found guilty of leading the group.
Hany Taha, 33, of Hadfield, Bassam Raad, 26, of Brunswick, Majed Raad, 23, of Coburg, and Shoue Hammoud, 28, of Hadfield were found not guilty.
Pre-sentence hearings for the seven guilty men will begin on November 18.