Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[fuagf]

Hope, they aren't doing a Hicks on these guys .. hate to say it .. there is an election coming up ..

"A COMMITTAL hearing for the men allegedly behind Australia's largest terrorist conspiracy opened today amid tight security at a Sydney court.

The hearing for the nine terrorist suspects, arrested in late 2005 for allegedly conspiring to make explosives for an attack on Sydney's Lucas Heights nuclear reactor, forced the renovation of the 70-year-old Penrith District Court to accommodate the strict security measures.

The suspects - Mohammed Ali Elomar, Mazen Touma, Abdul Rakib Hasan, Khaled Cheikho, Moustafa Cheikho, Khaled Sharrouf, Mirsad Mulahalilovic, Omar Baladjam and Mohammed Jamal - were not expected in court today, but were likely to appear tomorrow.

Lawyer for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), James Renwick, has already told Magistrate Michael Price he will request the case be conducted in a closed court for much of the hearing, which is expected to run for up to two months.

The hearing began an hour late as the teams of more than 40 lawyers, the media and public underwent stringent airport-type security screening before entering the court.

The matter was then adjourned for three hours to allow the defence to go through Australian Federal Police documents.

Armed police stood guard outside the courthouse and manned the streets around the complex which was chosen to house the hearing after its security was upgraded for the 1984 Fathers' Day massacre trial in which 31 rival bikies from the Bandido and Comanchero gangs were sentenced.

Glass screens and an extended public and media viewing area above the dock are still to be installed.

The nine suspects were arrested during raids in Sydney and Melbourne in November 2005 and had allegedly been urged by their leader to inflict "maximum damage" - with Lucas Heights a major target.

At the time of their arrest, NSW police alleged group members attended "jihad" training camps in western NSW, stockpiled chemicals to make explosives and that one of them was found with 165 railway detonators at his home.

Police alleged Mr Touma, Mr Elomar and Mr Hasan were stopped in their car by officers near Lucas Heights in late 2004."

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21326550-2,00.html

Yemen is a imperialist buddy, isn't it?