Christmas terror accused feared ‘Satan’ would stop him, court hears
A GROUP accused of a plot to kill families celebrating Christmas was caught on police bugs gibbering about Satan, sword obsessions and “s----ing bricks”, a court has heard.
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A GROUP accused of a plot to kill families celebrating Christmas was caught on police bugs gibbering about Satan, sword obsessions and “s----ing bricks”.
Secret tapes of the bizarre conversations have emerged in court.
In one bugged discussion, just days before Christmas, Ahmed Mohamed, 24, is alleged to have said he fears only “Satan” can stop their murderous plan.
In another, he is less bullish, saying to alleged terrorist kingpin Ibrahim Abbas: “I swear by Allah I’m s----ing bricks.”
But Ibrahim Abbas is more interested in a machete he has bought.
“I’m in my house and I miss my sword, bro. I just wanna hold it. I don’t want to let go of it, bro. It’s like a part of me now,” he allegedly says.
“I’m like literally planning. I’m thinking I’m gonna buy, like, a coat and I’m gonna wrap it around me here so it’s always on me ... That’s how much I love it, bro.”
Police claim a frightened Mohamed then says to alleged terror buddy Abdullah Chaarani: “The guy (Ibrahim Abbas) is pumped. I’m s----ing bricks and the guy’s pumped … I wanna cry.”
XMAS TERROR PLOT ACCUSED TO STAND TRIAL
The men are accused of conspiring to blow up Federation Square, St Paul’s Cathedral and Flinders St station on Christmas Day 2016.
Police allege the youths bought screws, nails, explosive charges and chemicals to build pipe bombs based on a recipe cooked-up by al-Qaeda.
Shocking details of conversations the men are alleged to have had were released in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday, after Hamza Abbas, 22, was committed to stand trial on terror charges.
He pleaded not guilty. Chaarani and Mohamed have also pleaded not guilty to two terror charges.
In one conversation in December, a bug is said to have caught Mohamed saying to an unknown man: “I know that Satan will try and get you before it.”
Police have claimed Mohamed believed the mass murder of women and children at Christmas was his god’s wish.
“This can’t be something bad, you know. This is the best of best things,” he is alleged to have said.
Mohamed also blames the devil for negative feelings.
“It’s, it’s Satan, I know,” he allegedly says of his concern for his wife after his expected death. “Like, if she goes back to her parents’ house they’re gonna tell her to take her niqab off. They won’t want her to be ... to hang around with these people,” he says.
He allegedly then says: “I’m not backing out, no way.”
The man tells Mohamed not to worry about his wife’s expenses once he is dead. “We’ll look after your wife, don’t worry about it.”
Later that evening, Mohamed is less sure, telling alleged kingpin Ibrahim Abbas, 23, he is “s----ing bricks”.
In another conversation, Ibrahim Abbas offers Mohamed marriage advice, before saying: “The path of jihad is not paved with, you know, with the roses. It is paved with shackles ... and thorns.”
He tells Mohamed his heart swelled on seeing the knives they planned to kill with.
“Bro, when I saw them, my heart pumped. I saw (martyrdom) in them,” he says.
At one stage, Ibrahim Abbas insists an attack must happen on Christmas Day.
“Bro, I want it by Sunday, bro,” he tells Mohamed. “This Sunday is Christmas.”
While on a trip to buy noodles, police hear the men watching extremist videos on their mobile phones.
“I got really pumped the other day watching this video,” Mohamed says.
The youths were arrested on December 22, but police continued to monitor their conversations.
“So you guys haven’t told them anything about what I’ve planned?” Ibrahim Abbas asks Chaarani at one stage.
“My wife said that you guys are telling your wives that I’m a snitch ... that I’m a snitch and I’m the mastermind.”
But Chaarani, 26, claims he has remained loyal. “I seek refuge in Allah ... no way, bro, no way I would do that,” he says.
Ibrahim Abbas says he worries he will look bad.
“When I was in custody, honestly bro I was thinking the whole world right now hates our guts. Think we’re the biggest dogs on Earth.”
But two days after Christmas, Ibrahim Abbas allegedly brags and laughs about what he might say in court.
“It’s the perfect time for me to bring up the biggest story bro, ha ha, I have pledge(d) my allegiance to ISIS. I do want to destroy your nation,” he says.
The case was on Thursday adjourned to the Supreme Court later this month.