Posted on 05/18/2004 2:37:59 PM PDT by ambrose
10:12am (UK)
Muslim Convert 'Obliged' to Bomb Embassy - Court Told
A British-born Muslim convert, allegedly recruited by al-Qaida to bomb the Israeli embassy in Australia, felt he was obliged to carry out a jihad, or holy war, his son told an Australian court today.
Jack Roche, 50, made the comment in a letter sent to his son from Afghanistan in 2000, where prosecutors allege he met with al-Qaida leaders and forged a plot to bomb the embassy in Canberra to bring attention to the Palestinians' plight. The bombing was never carried out.
Roche has pleaded not guilty to one charge of conspiring to damage the Israeli embassy by means of explosives, and harm diplomatic staff.
He faces up to 25 years in jail if convicted.
"There are always doubts ... but as Muslims we are obligated to perform jihad to uphold the laws of Allah, the truth on his earth," Roche wrote in the letter, which his son Jens Holland, 24, read to Perth District Court on the second day of Roche's trial.
"The disbelievers are now out of control, and believe their ways ? ways based on inequality, arrogance etc ? are right. I hate them for that," the letter said.
Holland also testified that he accompanied his father on trips to survey potential targets in Canberra and Sydney, after Roche returned from Afghanistan.
Prosecutors played a 20-minute video they said Roche shot as part of preparations for the attack.
In one scene, Roche's car stops outside the Israeli embassy, and he comments: "This is our country, not theirs. They can do what they want inside those walls."
Roche also recorded images of buildings in Sydney, including a busy railway station.
Prosecutors said yesterday that Roche trained with explosives for 10 days at an al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan before returning to Australia and beginning surveillance operations of the Israeli diplomatic building in Canberra, as well as the Israeli consulate in Sydney.
He also began recruiting people to take part in the plot and checked the availability of explosives, the court heard.
The pic is so accurate.
“Then we are obliged to throw him in prison.”
Didn't the bozo's son say that his pop more or less did the bombing, giving the excuse that he felt 'obliged' to do what he did?
The U.S.A. citizen is 'obliged' to 'submit' to OPEC, British, French, Venezula FOREIGN NATIONAL SUBSIDIZED OIL at the U.S. Gas pump?
/U.S.,.....'United Suckers'...?
(Colonialzation Reigns!)
/sarcasm
Reminds me of the writings (rantings) of Suleyman Ahmad.
Yes- we should edit it in to that Marine recruiting ad that shows Marines as Crusading Knights.
Anybody got a photo of the perp?
What a fool.
What is Jihad?
"Jihad" does not mean "holy war." Literally, jihad means to strive, struggle and exert effort. It is a central and broad Islamic concept that includes struggle against evil inclinations within oneself, struggle to improve the quality of life in society, struggle in the battlefield for self-defense (e.g., - having a standing army for national defense), or fighting against tyranny or oppression.
Yet another story that puts the lie to official claims that we could never have infiltrated Al Qaeda.
Somehow, I think this is why a newbie convert wouldn't be trusted with anymore information that to strap on a bomb
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