Posted on 06/24/2006 11:56:44 AM PDT by Hadean
"JIHAD Jack" Thomas, convicted of taking cash from al-Qaida, has been bashed in jail.
Joseph Thomas was treated for cuts and bruises after he was attacked in Barwon Prison a week ago. And he has had a mental breakdown, his lawyer, Rob Stary, says.
While he wrestles with problems inside the prison system, his parents, Ian and Patsy Thomas, have had to sell their Williamstown home of 33 years to ease the financial burden of their son's legal proceedings.
A prison source said an inmate "jumped and belted" Thomas, even though the former taxi driver was held in protective custody.
"He might have a broken rib," the source said after Thomas was taken from the Lara jail for treatment.
But Mr Stary said Thomas was removed for psychiatric treatment. He said prison life had caused Thomas severe mental trauma -- linked to a jail stint in Pakistan
"He's had what is tantamount to a breakdown," Mr Stary said. "He is very unwell."
Mr Stary said Thomas was taken to Thomas Embling Hospital and then transferred to Port Phillip Prison's psychiatric unit.
Thomas was convicted this year of receiving money and an airline ticket from al-Qaida and of falsifying a passport. He has appealed against the conviction for receiving cash from terrorists.
The appeal hearing has been brought forward to next month because of fears for his mental state.
Thomas -- the first person convicted under new anti-terror laws -- is serving a maximum sentence of five years' jail for his crimes.
His Supreme Court trial was told Thomas, a father of three, accepted $4750 and a plane ticket home from senior al-Qaida boss Khaled bin Attash in 2002.
Bin Attash had asked Thomas to work in Australia for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
Mr Stary described the sale of the Thomas family home as sad.
"It has been massively draining for them, I know there have been massive financial pressures," he said.
"You can talk about punishing the offender, but it also has consequences for their family."
cry me a river
Tell him lots of funny jokes, humor is rumored to help healing.
Which is something the OFFENDER should have considered - not the justice system or the public. Frankly, I don't give a rat's rear about his family.
No sympathy for terrorists and their supporters.
GMTA!
Shame he only got 5 years. This was no less than conspiracy to commit terrorist acts. After all Al-Qaeda is a terrorist outfit, what the hell else did they hire him for?
Having never met the fella, I would have to agree.
Yeah, too bad they had to sell the house to pay your bill. Not sad enough to work pro bono though.
It seems to me that the Jihad Jack was a grown up, he shoulda figgured on the problems it might cause.
I have some sympathy for the parents supporting him until he's been convicted fair and square - or at least until they satisfied themselves he'd acutally jumped the shark - but not after that. If they're losing their house because they paid for a lawyer in the guys initial trial, I'm sympathetic a little, but not so much as to not to say "well, I undestand why you'd do it, but it was your choice to pay for the defense."
Here's a thought. How about the family says "our son is evil and deserves his punishment"? Or even "our son is an adult and is resposnible for his own actions."
It is like Scott Peterson's folks. The continue infanticidation of a generation continues.
Why not 'Jihad Joe'?
Kind of catchy, actually...
>cry me a river
I remember that movie with Jayne Mansfield, "The Girl Can't Help It", where Julie London sang "Cry Me A River". Great song; I had a crush on Julie London; I was around 10 or 11 yrs old.
Tantamount? Methinks the boy wants to change cells...a la One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Does anyone know Nurse Ratchett's phone number?
"jumped and belted"
This is what that little cretin would have done to us if given half a chance.
So little jack wanted to play jihad, excuse me for not feeling sorry for the little twit.
Note to self "Cry river when I care for this POS".
Ain't that a shame....
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