Court hears wife was willing to be bomber in alleged terror plot
ACCUSED terrorists discussed dropping one man’s niqab-wearing wife — strapped with a suicide vest — at a Melbourne location where he claimed she was “happy” to die, a court has heard. READ THE TRANSCRIPT HERE
Law & Order
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THE niqab-wearing wife of one of three accused terrorists was a willing suicide bomber, according to covert police recordings of her husband, a Supreme Court jury has heard.
Ahmed Mohamed, one of the three men accused of planning a 2016 Christmas terrorist attack on the CBD, was secretly recorded saying his wife was willing to wear a suicide vest.
The jury heard the listening device recording was made just after 8pm on December 21, the day before police arrested the trio.
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Mr Mohamed discussed dropping his wife “strapped” at a location where he claimed she was willing to die.
“She’s happy, she’s happy to, she wants, she even told me that since ages ago,” he recorded as saying.
“Strap her and just drop her … drop her off and go.”
But the plan was abandoned after an associate of Mr Mohamed expressed concern about it, saying: “What if it doesn’t blow up on her, she gets caught?”
“See, it’s different if we get caught, but if she gets caught.
“If she gets caught, her what’s-it called, her honour, is gonna get touched,” the associate says.
“If I get caught, my honour is not gonna get touched, I’m a man. What are they going to touch, my butthole? Female, that’s serious, bro.
“Exalted is Allah. You’ve got to put yourself in like the Mujahideen (Muslim holy warriors) life. Exalted is Allah, bro, they left everything, their families and their worldly life. They just went in the cause of Allah.
“To the Kuffar (disbelievers), that’s like he left his family needing. You know what I’m saying?”
In another part of the recording, the associate says: “Bro, if you want that friggin’ vest, start today bro. Tomorrow. Bunnings.”
Mr Mohamed: “I’m free tomorrow.”
In the same conversation, Mr Mohamed complains that his wife’s parents object to her wearing a niqab.
“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 said.
Mr Mohamed, Hamza Abbas and Abdullah Chaarani are on trial for planning a terrorist attack. Prosecutors allege they were driven by an extremist brand of Islam and a hatred of the West, including Australia.
The trial, before Justice Christopher Beale, continues.
EDITED TRANSCRIPT
MOHAMED: I’m really scared, cuz, Wallah (I swear by Allah).
MOUKHAIBER: Why? Why?
MOHAMED: Between you and me, please … I get thoughts in my head like, far, what’s, what’s, what’s gunna happen to my wife, like, who’s gunna help her, just thoughts —
MOUKHAIBER: Yeah.
MOHAMED: It’s, it’s Satan, I know, but, like, still, you know.
MOUKHAIBER: Yeah. Yeah.
MOHAMED: Like, if she goes back to her parents’ house they’re gunna tell her to take her niqab off, they won’t want her to be … to hang around with these people, this that, blah blah blah. If she goes to Geelong, I think it’s the best idea but it’s too far for her. Who’s gunna pick her up, this that, blah blah blah. It’s just pissing me off hard, bro, hard. Hard. Hard. Wallah (I swear by Allah), I’m really scared.
MOUKHAIBER: Have you had — Are you making Istikhaara (a prayer to seek guidance from Allah) about this, or no?
MOHAMED: This can’t be something bad, you know. This is the best of best things … And I know that Satan will try and get you before it.
MOUKHAIBER: Yeah.
MOHAMED: I’m not backing out, no way.
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MOHAMED: Exalted is Allah. I know. I know once it’s done I’m not going to care about her. I’m not gunna, you know but from now to then, what a battle to have man.
UNNAMED MAN: Bro. I know what is going to happen to mine, she’s gunna break down bro. But, what can I do for her? What can I do for her bro?
MOHAMED: Yeah but the wife breaking down is a different story. After she breaks down, or during she’s breaking down, um, she’s got people on top of her neck saying “we told you!” “He’s this!”
UNNAMED MAN: Bro my wife’s gunna go through the same thing.
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MOHAMED: I’m just worrying bro, I’m just worrying hard like I’m shaking like I’m loving her extra today. I’m gunna take her out, I’m gunna this, I’m gunna that.
UNNAMED MAN: I understand
MOHAMED: Like that’s my wife.
UNNAMED MAN: I know you love her a lot but there are better girls. (Inaudible) This is the worldly life. This is her Jihad bro. No her Jihad is a blessed Hajj.
MOHAMED: She’s happy, she’s happy to, she wants that, she even told me that since ages ago, I told her look I’m (inaudible).
UNNAMED MAN: She can do that, but the thing is like as part of the Shura and Jamaah (Islamic consultative group), bro, that they’re gunna (inaudible) bro, sorry to say that.
MOHAMED: Strap her and just drop her — Drop her off and go.
UNNAMED MAN: No. No.
MOHAMED: Why?
UNNAMED MAN: No, bro (inaudible) —
MOHAMED: Why?
UNNAMED MAN: What if it doesn’t blow up on her, she gets caught? See it’s different if we get caught, but if she gets caught. If she gets caught her-what’s-it called, her honour is gunna get touched.
If I get caught my honour is not gunna get touched, I’m a man.