Wannabe jihadi admits to plotting Melbourne terror attack
A WANNABE jihadi has admitted plotting a potentially devastating terrorist act at iconic Melbourne landmarks including Federation Square, Flinders St Station and St Paul’s Cathedral.
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A WANNABE jihadi has admitted plotting a potentially devastating terrorist act at iconic Melbourne landmarks including Federation Square, Flinders St Station and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Australian-born terrorist Ibrahim Abbas, 24, said innocent locals deserved to die as revenge for Australia’s involvement in the war on Islamic State.
And he was prepared to blow himself up with a suicide vest if caught.
TERRORIST ACCUSED WANTED HIGH CASUALTIES
Abbas has pleaded guilty to conspiring with his brother Hamza, cousin Abdullah Chaarani and friend Ahmed Mohamed, to stage a potentially devastating attack.
He admitted purchasing chemicals, explosive substances, and other components to make a bomb, buying bladed weapons and conducting reconnaissance in the CBD.
The four men were under surveillance until they were arrested on December 22, 2016, after authorities became concerned that an attack was imminent.
Abbas is now the key witness in the Supreme Court trial of his three co-accused who have each pleaded not guilty to their alleged part in planning a terrorist act.
In a lengthy police interview following his arrest Abbas described himself as the ringleader of the group.
He said he was driven by his religious beliefs and worked to convince his three co-accused to take part.
“Australia is attacking Muslims in Islamic State and is doing so …(is) not distinguishing innocent people, um, old people, young people, weak, male or female,” he said.
“Civilians of Australia deserve the same thing, the same treatment that we are treated.
“The Muslims, we are all one body, we are brothers in faith, so my brother wherever he is, whether he’s in Syria or Iraq or Burma, wherever he is, he’s my brother just like my biological brother is my brother.
“I believed that engaging in these acts is a religious thing and I was at the forefront of this group when it came to … propagating this message,” he said.
Abbas told police he pushed his co-accused to join him because he was trying to “create a group”.
He said he and Mohamed bought hydrogen peroxide to make a bomb but couldn’t work out how to do it.
“We never really done anything with it because we had no clue,” he told police.
“We couldn’t really follow the video properly … I wasn’t able to make a bomb with the hydrogen peroxide.”
Abbas has testified that he was inspired by Al-Qaeda and ISIS leaders including Osama bin Laden.
He swore allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014 after a caliphate was announced by Abu Mohammed al-Adnani.
The prosecution case against the men includes surveillance footage, as well as social media messages and Islamic state propaganda found on their phones.
The trial, before Justice Christopher Beale, continues.
