OMEN
03-31-2006, 08:45 AM
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HE first person in Australia to be convicted under new terrorism laws has been sentenced to five years' jail.
Muslim convert and former Melbourne taxi driver, Joseph Terrence Thomas, was found guilty of intentionally receiving funds from al-Qaeda and holding a false passport.
Supreme Court Justice Philip Cummins sentenced the 32-year-old to five years' jail, with a minimum of two years.
Thomas, of suburban Werribee, was the first Australian to be charged under new terrorism laws and the fifth charged under anti-terrorism legislation passed by federal Parliament in October 2002.
Justice Cummins said the charges Thomas faced were serious and he denied the case was a "trophy trial", as alleged by the defence.
"That was an unfortunate expression," Justice Cummins said.
This was no trophy trial. This court will be no part of trophy trials."
The judge also said Thomas's conduct in Pakistan, when he accepted money and an airline ticket from a high level operative of al-Qaeda, showed he was not "foolish or naive".
"Your conduct shows you were well capable of being manipulative," he said.
News.au
HE first person in Australia to be convicted under new terrorism laws has been sentenced to five years' jail.
Muslim convert and former Melbourne taxi driver, Joseph Terrence Thomas, was found guilty of intentionally receiving funds from al-Qaeda and holding a false passport.
Supreme Court Justice Philip Cummins sentenced the 32-year-old to five years' jail, with a minimum of two years.
Thomas, of suburban Werribee, was the first Australian to be charged under new terrorism laws and the fifth charged under anti-terrorism legislation passed by federal Parliament in October 2002.
Justice Cummins said the charges Thomas faced were serious and he denied the case was a "trophy trial", as alleged by the defence.
"That was an unfortunate expression," Justice Cummins said.
This was no trophy trial. This court will be no part of trophy trials."
The judge also said Thomas's conduct in Pakistan, when he accepted money and an airline ticket from a high level operative of al-Qaeda, showed he was not "foolish or naive".
"Your conduct shows you were well capable of being manipulative," he said.
News.au