Posted on 08/19/2006 4:52:45 AM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu
An appeal court in Australia has quashed the conviction of a man known as Jihad Jack, who was convicted of receiving funds from al-Qaeda.
Muslim convert Joseph "Jack" Thomas was found guilty in February of accepting Aus$5,000 ($3,500) and a plane ticket from an al-Qaeda agent in Pakistan.
The former taxi driver was sentenced to five years in prison in March.
But the Victoria Court of Appeal ruled that some of the evidence used against him was not admissible at his trial.
Mr Thomas had appealed on the grounds that his interview with Australian Federal Police (AFP) while under detention in Pakistan was inadmissible.
His lawyers said that he had no legal representation, and had been pressured into a confession during two months in custody in Pakistan.
Camps
Mr Thomas was the first person to be convicted under new Australian anti-terror legislation adopted in October 2002.
In February, the Melbourne court also found him guilty of possessing a false passport, but cleared him of intentionally providing resources for al-Qaeda.
The prosecution had alleged that Mr Thomas trained in al-Qaeda bases in Afghanistan before moving to Pakistan.
His lawyer said Mr Thomas, who is married and has three children, accepted the money and plane ticket because he wanted to return home.
Mr Thomas said he never had any intention of becoming an al-Qaeda operative.
It is not clear whether Mr Thomas will face a retrial.
What are Australian views on this? Should the man have been let go?
Guess the only way to deal with terrorist types is to never let them GET a trial...they seem to win on appeals and rulings by liberal judges.
ALL Terrorists should be "unfortunately" shot trying to escape.
just shows that we have just as stupid judges as you have in America, i.e. recent idiotic ruling from Federal judge in Detroit on NSA.
My heart would bleed and my eyes would weep. Will send flowers and a Honeybaked for the funeral.
But at the same time, the man was entitled to a fair trial, like any other person accused of a crime. The law has to be imposed properly and used properly.
In general... I think the attitude is that if this had to happen, it's good it has happened with this guy who really doesn't seem to be truly dangerous, rather than one of the much more serious people we have awaiting trial. Hopefully the problems with legal procedures can now be sorted out before they face justice.
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