Posted on 12/16/2005 2:35:48 PM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
Plot to kill PM, court told
Katie Lapthorne
17dec05
TERROR suspects talked about killing John Howard and his family as payback for the deaths of innocent Muslims, a court heard yesterday.
The conversation between accused would-be suicide bomber Abdullah Merhi and his spiritual leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika was secretly recorded in September last year.
The pair allegedly discussed taking an eye for an eye.
The Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard Mr Merhi, 20, told the leader of the alleged Melbourne terrorist cell: "If, for example, John Howard kills innocent Muslim family . . . do we have to kill him and his family ... his people, like at the football?"
Mr Benbrika replied: "If he kill our kids ... we kill (inaudible) little kids."
Mr Merhi also told Mr Benbrika: "I want in on everything. If there is anything you talk to me, all right?"
Prosecutor Nick Robinson told the court the pair spoke of committing violent jihad and believed the doors of heaven would be opened to them for doing so. "They kill our kids, it is our right to take out revenge. It is not wrong, it is the word of God," Mr Benbrika allegedly said. The court was told the pair can be heard looking up a passage in the Koran to support their views.
Mr Robinson said Mr Merhi wanted to take action and was not going to wait.
Mr Merhi allegedly said on the tape his eyes had recently been opened and a message had to be sent.
"I have made my point. If it comes up I will go but I am not waiting 20 years or two years," he said.
Mr Benbrika also encourages the younger man to do a "big thing" close to train stations.
Mr Robinson said the conversation showed the strength of the case against the men.
Magistrate Reg Marron said the material was open to interpretation but concerning.
"It contains some disturbingly strong and reasonably assertive positions taken," Mr Marron said. "As to ultimately what they mean will no doubt become clear."
The court heard the pair voiced disgust at an unnamed Muslim cleric who had publicly denounced Osama bin Laden.
"How can it be that this man who appears knowledgeable in faith can say such things?" Mr Merhi is alleged to say.
They agree the man cannot be trusted and discuss getting some people to meet him at his car with batons.
The prosecutors disputed the claim by Mr Merhi's lawyer, Robert Richter, QC, that the conversations were nothing more than thrashing out theological issues.
"It is more than a religious discussion. There is no doubt about that," Mr Robinson said.
"It is clearly about preparing ... for a violent jihad."
Mr Merhi and his co-accused Hany Taha, 31, were yesterday denied bail for a second time.
The pair were among a group of 10 men charged last month with being a member of a terrorist organisation.
Eight of those men, including Mr Merhi and Mr Taha, also face a charge of funding a terrorist organisation.
The unnamed group allegedly plotted jihad in Australia, ordering chemicals and discussing bomb-making.
Mr Marron said the case against the terror suspects was not overwhelmingly strong.
"It is a circumstantial case, it is an interpretive case, it involves many interpretations," he said.
Mr Marron said while he was concerned the men remained locked up in Barwon Prison's high-security Acacia unit they had not reached the threshold of exceptional circumstances, required for bail to be granted.
They were remanded in custody to appear in court again in April.
Gosh, I hope they had a court order for the wiretap. And I hope that their respective rights of privacy weren't violated.
Wouldn't it be more effective to take out Zarqawi for killing innocent Muslims? Oh wait, the religion of peace does not permit the killing of a fellow Muslim. Try and figure out that circular logic.
Moose...go figure.
The press won't admit it. This isn't about race, its about forced multicultrism and what its outcome always is.
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