Blake Pender: Convicted terrorist denied parole by Attorney-General
His words horrified authorities and sent chills down the spine of police and even a magistrate. But jailed terrorist Blake Pender has now made a bid for freedom, prompting the Attorney-General to step in.
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A convicted terrorist who threatened to behead police, kill a Sydney magistrate and declared his allegiance to Islamic State in a courtroom has had his bid for parole knocked back by authorities.
Attorney-General Christian Porter has denied Blake Pender’s attempt for an early release after he became eligible for parole this month.
Pender is currently serving a four-year jail sentence for a shocking series of events in which he openly said he would wage war against the Australian public.
He was taken into police custody in June 2017 after officers wrestled a knife out of his hands on a Surry Hills street where he bragged: “the proudest thing a man can do is behead a cop”.
Pender then continued his horrifying tirade in court the next day.
“When I get out I will be blowing myself up. I will be killing the military and the police. Allahu Akbar,” he said in court.
“F*** you judge you’ll be next. Allahu Akbar, Inshallah … f*** you, I’ll cut your f****** head off you dog. I told you I’ll f******’ kill everyone in that courtroom.”
In a phone call to his girlfriend from jail 10 days later Pender told her: “hey babe, guess what I’m going to do when I get out? … blow up a train”.
Pender, who suffers from a raft of mental illnesses, told his sentencing hearing last November he had converted to Judaism and was studying the Torah.
Authorities consider Pender so dangerous that his sentencing judge warned an order could be sought to keep him in jail even after his prison sentence has been served.
Extended Supervision Orders, as they are known, are reserved for only the most violent offenders currently behind bars.
“Mr Pender was eligible for parole on September 13 2020. The Commonwealth Attorney-General has refused to release Mr Pender on parole,” a spokesman for Attorney-General Christian Porter said.
“The Attorney-General will be required to reconsider Mr Pender for release on parole within 12 months after the refusal.”
Pender is due to be released when his sentence expires in September 2021.
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