Western Resistance

« UK: Islamists May Be Extradited To US | | Canada: Muslim Teen Terror Suspect Claims For Bail »

July 13, 2006

Australia: Judge Delays Sentencing Of Muslim Terrorist

The man pictured left is Pakistani-born architect Faheem Khalid Lodhi, formerly a resident of Punchbowl, Sydney. We reported on June 19 that the 36-year old had been convicted on three charges, gathering maps of Sydney's power grid, acting in preparation for a terrorist act by gathering information about bomb-makingchemicals and and possessing documents with information about how to manufacture poisons.

The court had heard that he had planned to attack locations in Sydney in October 2003. He had written a 15 page manual in Urdu, in which he described how to make petrol bombs, poison, cyanide gas, sulphuric acid, grenades and other explosive devices.

The court had heard allegations that Lodhi had trained with the Pakistan-based terror organisation, Lashkar-e-Taiba (Lashkar-e-Toiba, or LeT) with a French national called Willy Brigitte. This man had been deported from Australia in 2003, on suspicion of belonging to Al Qaeda. French intelligence had been tracking Brigitte since 1999. They contacted Australian authorities on 3 November, 2003, to say that he planned a high-level terror act, and Brigitte, who had entered on a tourist visa in May that year, was deported.

Brigitte did not testify in the trial, and remains in a jail outside Paris. Lodhi, who was born in Sialkot, was the first person ever to be convicted of planning a terrorist attack on Australian soil. The devout Sunni Muslim had come to Australia in 1998 to "do something better for my life". He said in court that killing innocent people was against Islam. Judge Anthony Whealey remanded him in custody until June 29, when he would have been sentenced.

Now, news.com.au reports that Faheem Khalid Lodhi will have to wait longer to find out what his sentencing term could be. There were earlier mentions that it could be life imprisonment. At New South Wales Supreme Court, Anthony Whealey has now adjourned the next hearing of the case until August 23.

He explained yesterday: "I had hoped that this morning I would be able to proceed with sentencing. Indeed as at 9.30am I believed I would be in a position to do so."

"However, quite properly the parties have brought to my attention a significant amendment to the Commonwealth Crimes Act which on its face could have an impact on the appropriate sentence to be imposed on the offender."

Justice Whealey has decided in fairness to defence and prosecution to allow lawyers to consider the amendment. He said: "In these circumstances it seems to me it would be unfair to both the Crown and the offender to pronounce sentence today without first giving the parties the opportunities to make submissions to me as to whether the legislative amendment ... applies to this trial or whether it does not."

"I regret very much I may have disappointed the parties, the public and the media, by finding myself (in this position)."

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at July 13, 2006 6:12 PM

Comments

Post a comment