Cleric nailed in biggest terror trial !

SehaJ

Troublemaker
Cleric Abdul Nacer Benbrika was found guilty of urging his followers to target football matches and kills civilians

Melbourne: A firebrand Muslim cleric and five followers were convicted on Monday of forming an Australian terrorist cell accused of plotting bomb attacks designed to kill thousands.

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The jury in Australia’s largest terror trial found Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 48, guilty of being the leader of the cell in Melbourne and five others guilty of being members. The Victorian Supreme Court heard that Benbrika urged his followers to target football matches or a train station and kill civilians to pressure Australia to withdraw soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan. After a trial lasting more than seven months, a further four suspects were cleared of planning terrorist acts in Melbourne involving the detonation of an explosive or use of weapons. The jury was yet to deliver verdicts on two other men.

Algerian-born Benbrika showed no emotion as the jury delivered a guilty verdict on charges of intentionally directing the activities of a terrorist organisation, which carries a prison term of up to 25 years, and of being a member of the group. Benbrika had told his followers it was “permissible to kill women, children and the aged,” prosecutors said during the trial. Prosecutor Richard Maidment had told the trial material seized from the group included literature on how to make bombs and video tapes with messages from Osama bin Laden.

Jurors found Aimen Joud, 23, Fadl Sayadi, 28, Abdullah Merhi, 22, Ezzit Raad, 26, and Ahmed Raad, 24 guilty of being members of a terror cell.

Ahmed Raad, Ezzit Raad and Joud were also found guilty of making funds available to a terror cell, while Joud and Benbrika were found guilty of possessing a CD connected with the preparation of a terrorist act. All the accused were arrested in November 2005.


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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...5-2702,00.html
 
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