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http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23554110-5005961,00.html
Doubt over MCG terror claim
April 17, 2008 02:08pm
A WITNESS who claims the MCG and Crown Casino were to be bombed in terrorist attacks initially told police he knew nothing of any targets, a Melbourne court has heard.
Key prosecution witness Izzydeen Atik told the Victorian Supreme Court earlier this week that the leader of a terrorist group with which he was associated had told him of the group's intentions.
He said plans had existed to attack the MCG on grand final day in 2005.
Another plan was to bomb Melbourne's Crown Casino.
But during cross-examination today, defence counsel Remy Van de Wiel, QC, suggested to Atik that he had failed to reveal any of this information to police.
Atik told police when he was first questioned he didn't know whether the group was planning a terror attack, Mr Van de Wiel said.
"You said you would have gone to the police if you knew of a plan to commit a terrorist act," Mr Van de Wiel said.
But Atik had not done so, only raising his alleged knowledge of the targets later, the court heard.
Atik denied Mr Van de Wiel's suggestions.
Mr Van de Wiel also accused Atik of faking a psychiatric illness in order to lighten jail sentences he received in NSW for fraud.
He said Atik had falsely told psychiatrists he was hallucinating and had pretended to talk to birds.
"It was a complete and utter lie," Mr Van de Wiel said.
Atik said he had no recollection of speaking to psychiatrists.
Alleged terror group leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika and 11 other Melbourne men have pleaded not guilty to being members of a terrorist organisation and other terror-related charges.
The trial before Justice Bernard Bongiorno is continuing.
Doubt over MCG terror claim
April 17, 2008 02:08pm
A WITNESS who claims the MCG and Crown Casino were to be bombed in terrorist attacks initially told police he knew nothing of any targets, a Melbourne court has heard.
Key prosecution witness Izzydeen Atik told the Victorian Supreme Court earlier this week that the leader of a terrorist group with which he was associated had told him of the group's intentions.
He said plans had existed to attack the MCG on grand final day in 2005.
Another plan was to bomb Melbourne's Crown Casino.
But during cross-examination today, defence counsel Remy Van de Wiel, QC, suggested to Atik that he had failed to reveal any of this information to police.
Atik told police when he was first questioned he didn't know whether the group was planning a terror attack, Mr Van de Wiel said.
"You said you would have gone to the police if you knew of a plan to commit a terrorist act," Mr Van de Wiel said.
But Atik had not done so, only raising his alleged knowledge of the targets later, the court heard.
Atik denied Mr Van de Wiel's suggestions.
Mr Van de Wiel also accused Atik of faking a psychiatric illness in order to lighten jail sentences he received in NSW for fraud.
He said Atik had falsely told psychiatrists he was hallucinating and had pretended to talk to birds.
"It was a complete and utter lie," Mr Van de Wiel said.
Atik said he had no recollection of speaking to psychiatrists.
Alleged terror group leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika and 11 other Melbourne men have pleaded not guilty to being members of a terrorist organisation and other terror-related charges.
The trial before Justice Bernard Bongiorno is continuing.