Ali Jalal jailed for sending sickening death threats

A Barwon Prison inmate sent vile letters to police because he wanted to remain in jail, a court has heard.

Ali Jalal. Picture: Facebook

A Barwon Prison inmate sent letters expressing extremist views and threats to kill Muslims because he wanted to stay in jail, a court has heard.

Ali Jalal, a Lalor man who became an Australian citizen in 2000, sent letters to counter terrorism police which said “death to all Muslims” and that he was inspired by the New Zealand mass shooter Brenton Tarrant.

Excerpts from his letters in 2020 and 2021 reveal he had a plan to “kill hundreds” of Muslims in a multi-car attack in Auburn, NSW.

In a separate letter, he stated “its my declaration of hate and intention to exterminate these dirt things people call Muslims”.

During an interview with a corrections officer in April 2021, he stated it was his intention to carry out acts of terror.

The court heard Jalal said: “I want to kill people on mass. I am planning to kill everybody. Everybody, men, women and children.”

He was then interviewed later by a detective sergeant and said: “I am an Islamic state fighter, as soon as you let me out, I am going to raise the black flag and let those streets run with blood.”

Jalal, 34, pleaded guilty in the County Court in Melbourne to making threats to inflict serious injury and making threats to kill and was jailed for three years and 10 months.

The court heard Jalal, who has been in and out of jail since 2010, felt a sense of safety within prison and was scared to reintegrate into society.

In 2018 Jalal was interviewed by counter-terrorism police, and was informed the only way he would be able to stay in jail, was if he committed crimes.

In sentencing, Judge Duncan Allen said Jalal had an “extremely disadvantaged” childhood, and grew in poverty in Iran, Iraq and Pakistan before migrating to Australia at the age of nine.

The court heard Jalal’s time as a young boy living in these countries was traumatic and he suffered from “homelessness and extreme poverty”.

Judge Allen said he did not agree with the prosecution’s view that the threats were motivated by religious and political motives.

Jalal was this week sentenced to three years and 10 months’ jail, with a non-parole period of two years and four months jail.

Originally published as Ali Jalal jailed for sending sickening death threats