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Jurors begin deliberations on accused terror cell
August 20, 2008 04:30pm
JURORS have begun deciding the fate of 12 men accused of being members of an alleged Melbourne terror cell.
Alleged group leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 48, and 11 other men accused of belonging to the group have pleaded not guilty to charges including knowingly being a member of a terrorist organisation.
The trial began in February and ran for 115 days.
Just before 4pm today, Justice Bernard Bongiorno asked the jury of nine women and three men to retire and consider their verdicts on a total of 27 charges before them.
In April, the jury heard from prosecution witness Izzydeen Atik who said the 2005 AFL grand final was the group's original target.
But the grand final att
ack had to be put off after ASIO and police raided the homes of group members in July 2005, two months before Sydney beat West Coast in the premiership decider before a crowd of 91,828, the trial was told.
Last week Justice Bongiorno warned jurors Atik was a liar and fraudster whose evidence against 12 alleged terrorists was unsafe.
"He is an admitted liar, conman and fraudster,'' Justice Bongiorno said.
"If you are considering Atik's evidence you must do so in the light of the cloud hanging over him.''
Defence lawyers have argued the men were not terrorists, but young men learning about Islam from a self-styled sheik who, "couldn't organise a booze-up in a brewery''.
Benbrika's lawyer Remy Van de Wiel said his client was an unworldly man who thought it was possible to drive to Tasmania.
The 12 men charged are Benbrika, of Dallas, Aimen Joud, 23, of Hoppers Crossing, Shoue Hammoud, 27, of Hadfield, Amer Haddara, 28, of Yarraville, Abdullah Merhi, 23, of
Fawkner, Ahmed Raad, 25, of Fawkner, Bassam Raad, 27, of Brunswick, Ezzit Raad, 26, of Preston, Majed Raad, 24, of Coburg, Fadl Sayadi, 28, of Coburg, Hany Taha, 33, of Hadfield and Shane Kent, 31, of Meadow Heights.
Jurors begin deliberations on accused terror cell
August 20, 2008 04:30pm
JURORS have begun deciding the fate of 12 men accused of being members of an alleged Melbourne terror cell.
Alleged group leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 48, and 11 other men accused of belonging to the group have pleaded not guilty to charges including knowingly being a member of a terrorist organisation.
The trial began in February and ran for 115 days.
Just before 4pm today, Justice Bernard Bongiorno asked the jury of nine women and three men to retire and consider their verdicts on a total of 27 charges before them.
In April, the jury heard from prosecution witness Izzydeen Atik who said the 2005 AFL grand final was the group's original target.
But the grand final att
ack had to be put off after ASIO and police raided the homes of group members in July 2005, two months before Sydney beat West Coast in the premiership decider before a crowd of 91,828, the trial was told.
Last week Justice Bongiorno warned jurors Atik was a liar and fraudster whose evidence against 12 alleged terrorists was unsafe.
"He is an admitted liar, conman and fraudster,'' Justice Bongiorno said.
"If you are considering Atik's evidence you must do so in the light of the cloud hanging over him.''
Defence lawyers have argued the men were not terrorists, but young men learning about Islam from a self-styled sheik who, "couldn't organise a booze-up in a brewery''.
Benbrika's lawyer Remy Van de Wiel said his client was an unworldly man who thought it was possible to drive to Tasmania.
The 12 men charged are Benbrika, of Dallas, Aimen Joud, 23, of Hoppers Crossing, Shoue Hammoud, 27, of Hadfield, Amer Haddara, 28, of Yarraville, Abdullah Merhi, 23, of
Fawkner, Ahmed Raad, 25, of Fawkner, Bassam Raad, 27, of Brunswick, Ezzit Raad, 26, of Preston, Majed Raad, 24, of Coburg, Fadl Sayadi, 28, of Coburg, Hany Taha, 33, of Hadfield and Shane Kent, 31, of Meadow Heights.