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http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23218133-2862,00.html
Jihad tapes played to terror trial jury
by Norrie Ross
February 15, 2008 05:28pm
ONE of the 12 Melbourne men accused of being members of a terrorist cell was told he was on a state security list in Lebanon, a jury heard today.
Crown prosecutor Richard Maidment, SC, said Fadl Sayadi spoke to a man called Abu Staif in Lebanon and was tipped off by Mr Staif that he was placed on a state security list by authorities and was believed to be part of a "certain society".
Mr Maidment said uncharacteristically Mr Sayadi says "F*****g hell" and Mr Staif asks if he is planning to come to Lebanon.
Less than two minutes after the conversation ended Mr Sayadi rang Aamed Raad and in that call Mr Sayadi expresses concern he's been placed on a state security list in Lebanon and is part of a group.
Mr Maidment told the Supreme Court jury that Mr Sayadi told Ahmed Raad to "race down here".
He said you could hear the urgency in Mr Sayadi's voice.
Mr Sayadi then rang Shoue Hammoud who states he is in Beirut and driving to the airport.
Mr Maidment said Mr Sayadi tells Mr Hammoud: "Listen to me. Make a lot of prayers. Get some money together or something."
That was a reference to other other members of the organisation, the prosecutor said.
Mr Maidment said the leader of the group, Abdul Nacer Benbrika, had been a member of the Preston mosque but they didn't want him there any more because of his views.
There were various discussions between the alleged members of the terror group about the Preston mosque suggesting that people had been informing on them and raising suspicions about their conduct, Mr Maidment said.
And another member of the alleged group justified stealing cars with the need to raise money to buy weapons, the jury heard.
In a secretly recorded conversation Ahmed Raad told his brother Ezzit Raad that stealing cars and cutting them up for parts was "Allah's cause".
Prosecutor Richard Maidment SC played the conversation to the jury and in it Ezzit Raad expresses concern about a stolen car being left in his garage.
"I can't see how it's right. Stealing cars," says Ezzit Raad and later adds "I don't want coppers coming here."
Ahmed Raad says:"You think we can go and get weapons and walk off. We need the money to get it. Slowly. You have patience man."
Later in the conversation Aamed Raad says "if you've got a better way of getting money I'll go for it".
Aamed Raad tells his brother they expect to make "three or four grand" from the sale of a VY Holden Commodore they have previosuly cut up for parts.
Prosecutor Richard Maidment SC said the conversation showed the debate going on within the group over the instruction that it was permissable to take the blood and money from the kuffur, or enemies of Islam.
The pair are part of a group of 12 men who are on trial for being members of a terrorist organisation and fostering or preparing for a terrorist attack.
The Supreme Court also heard the alleged leader of the home-grown terrorist group didn't give religious instruction of a 'love thy neighbour' kind to his followers.
Mr Maidment said that phone taps and secretly recorded conversations reveal that Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 47, didn't talk to members of the group about benign topics that might be found in the Koran.
The conversations revealed that Mr Benbrika instructed his followers on topics relating to death, killing and violent jihad.
"It was not about 'love thy neighbour'," Mr Maidment said.
The jury was played a series of taped conversations between members of the group and taken through transcripts of other conversations between them.
Mr Maidment said the men talked about the fact they might be under surveillance, about a car stealing racket that the Crown alleges was used to raise money, about martyrdom and violent juhad.
On trial before Justice Bernard Bongiorno are: Abdul Nacer Benbrika, of Dallas
Shane Kent, 31, Meadow Heights, Majed Raad, 23, Coburg, Abdullah Merhi, 22, Fawkner, Aimen Joud, 23, Hoppers Crossing, Ahmed Raad, 24, Fawkner, Fadl Sayadi, 28, Coburg, Ezzit Raad, 26, Preston, Hany Taha, 33, Hadfield, Shoue Hammoud, 28, Hadfield
Bassam Raad, 26, Brunswick and Amer Haddara, 28, Yarraville.
Continuing his opening of the Crown case Mr Maidment played a tape of a conversation between Mr Taha and Mr Benbrika.
Mr Taha calls Mr Benbrika 'sheik' and asks him about the Battle of Badr, which is mentioned in the Koran, and asks if it is permitted to kill a prisoner.
Mr Benbrika instructs him that it is acceptable to exchange a prisoner or to kill him.
Mr Maidment took the jury through another bugged conversation in which Ezzit Raad says he has been talking to a Muslim workmate who is confused about Islam.
Mr Raad says the workmate attends Preston Mosque where he has been instructed that violent jihad should be discouraged.
Mr Maidment said that Mr Benbrika told Mr Raad not to bother with the colleague.
Later in the same conversation Mr Benbrika talks to Mr Raad about what needs to be done to re-establish the Muslim Nation by following the example of the mujihideen, or soldiers of Allah.
The charges include intentionally being members of a terrorist organisation involved in the fostering or preparation of a terrorist act.
According to a 12-page indictment the alleged act or threat would have involved the detonation of an explosive or use of weapons.
This was said to be in pursuit of "advancing a political, religious or ideological cause, namely the pursuit of violent jihad" with the intention of coercing or intimidating the Government or the public.
The indictment says the act, if carried out, would have caused serious harm to a person as well as a risk to the health and safety of the public.
Jihad tapes played to terror trial jury
by Norrie Ross
February 15, 2008 05:28pm
ONE of the 12 Melbourne men accused of being members of a terrorist cell was told he was on a state security list in Lebanon, a jury heard today.
Crown prosecutor Richard Maidment, SC, said Fadl Sayadi spoke to a man called Abu Staif in Lebanon and was tipped off by Mr Staif that he was placed on a state security list by authorities and was believed to be part of a "certain society".
Mr Maidment said uncharacteristically Mr Sayadi says "F*****g hell" and Mr Staif asks if he is planning to come to Lebanon.
Less than two minutes after the conversation ended Mr Sayadi rang Aamed Raad and in that call Mr Sayadi expresses concern he's been placed on a state security list in Lebanon and is part of a group.
Mr Maidment told the Supreme Court jury that Mr Sayadi told Ahmed Raad to "race down here".
He said you could hear the urgency in Mr Sayadi's voice.
Mr Sayadi then rang Shoue Hammoud who states he is in Beirut and driving to the airport.
Mr Maidment said Mr Sayadi tells Mr Hammoud: "Listen to me. Make a lot of prayers. Get some money together or something."
That was a reference to other other members of the organisation, the prosecutor said.
Mr Maidment said the leader of the group, Abdul Nacer Benbrika, had been a member of the Preston mosque but they didn't want him there any more because of his views.
There were various discussions between the alleged members of the terror group about the Preston mosque suggesting that people had been informing on them and raising suspicions about their conduct, Mr Maidment said.
And another member of the alleged group justified stealing cars with the need to raise money to buy weapons, the jury heard.
In a secretly recorded conversation Ahmed Raad told his brother Ezzit Raad that stealing cars and cutting them up for parts was "Allah's cause".
Prosecutor Richard Maidment SC played the conversation to the jury and in it Ezzit Raad expresses concern about a stolen car being left in his garage.
"I can't see how it's right. Stealing cars," says Ezzit Raad and later adds "I don't want coppers coming here."
Ahmed Raad says:"You think we can go and get weapons and walk off. We need the money to get it. Slowly. You have patience man."
Later in the conversation Aamed Raad says "if you've got a better way of getting money I'll go for it".
Aamed Raad tells his brother they expect to make "three or four grand" from the sale of a VY Holden Commodore they have previosuly cut up for parts.
Prosecutor Richard Maidment SC said the conversation showed the debate going on within the group over the instruction that it was permissable to take the blood and money from the kuffur, or enemies of Islam.
The pair are part of a group of 12 men who are on trial for being members of a terrorist organisation and fostering or preparing for a terrorist attack.
The Supreme Court also heard the alleged leader of the home-grown terrorist group didn't give religious instruction of a 'love thy neighbour' kind to his followers.
Mr Maidment said that phone taps and secretly recorded conversations reveal that Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 47, didn't talk to members of the group about benign topics that might be found in the Koran.
The conversations revealed that Mr Benbrika instructed his followers on topics relating to death, killing and violent jihad.
"It was not about 'love thy neighbour'," Mr Maidment said.
The jury was played a series of taped conversations between members of the group and taken through transcripts of other conversations between them.
Mr Maidment said the men talked about the fact they might be under surveillance, about a car stealing racket that the Crown alleges was used to raise money, about martyrdom and violent juhad.
On trial before Justice Bernard Bongiorno are: Abdul Nacer Benbrika, of Dallas
Shane Kent, 31, Meadow Heights, Majed Raad, 23, Coburg, Abdullah Merhi, 22, Fawkner, Aimen Joud, 23, Hoppers Crossing, Ahmed Raad, 24, Fawkner, Fadl Sayadi, 28, Coburg, Ezzit Raad, 26, Preston, Hany Taha, 33, Hadfield, Shoue Hammoud, 28, Hadfield
Bassam Raad, 26, Brunswick and Amer Haddara, 28, Yarraville.
Continuing his opening of the Crown case Mr Maidment played a tape of a conversation between Mr Taha and Mr Benbrika.
Mr Taha calls Mr Benbrika 'sheik' and asks him about the Battle of Badr, which is mentioned in the Koran, and asks if it is permitted to kill a prisoner.
Mr Benbrika instructs him that it is acceptable to exchange a prisoner or to kill him.
Mr Maidment took the jury through another bugged conversation in which Ezzit Raad says he has been talking to a Muslim workmate who is confused about Islam.
Mr Raad says the workmate attends Preston Mosque where he has been instructed that violent jihad should be discouraged.
Mr Maidment said that Mr Benbrika told Mr Raad not to bother with the colleague.
Later in the same conversation Mr Benbrika talks to Mr Raad about what needs to be done to re-establish the Muslim Nation by following the example of the mujihideen, or soldiers of Allah.
The charges include intentionally being members of a terrorist organisation involved in the fostering or preparation of a terrorist act.
According to a 12-page indictment the alleged act or threat would have involved the detonation of an explosive or use of weapons.
This was said to be in pursuit of "advancing a political, religious or ideological cause, namely the pursuit of violent jihad" with the intention of coercing or intimidating the Government or the public.
The indictment says the act, if carried out, would have caused serious harm to a person as well as a risk to the health and safety of the public.