Wannabe jihadi Ibrahim Abbas proud of ‘terrorist’ label
THE Islamic extremist who planned the mass murder of scores of Victorians in a large scale terror attack has in court compared himself to Jesus and his co-accused as his disciples.
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THE Islamic extremist who planned the mass murder of scores of Victorians in a large scale terror attack has compared himself to Jesus.
Ibrahim Abbas, 24, wanted to murder as many people as possible as revenge for Australia’s involvement in the war on Islamic State, a court has heard.
The jury has been told he pleaded guilty to planning a terrorist act and is now the key witness in the Supreme Court trial of his brother Hamza, cousin Abdullah Chaarani and friend Ahmed Mohamed.
Under cross examination today he compared himself to Jesus and his co-accused as his disciples.
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Abbas has repeatedly claimed that he was the architect and ringleader of the terror plot and had worked to convince his three co-accused to take part saying they were reluctant to do so.
He had sworn allegiance to Islamic State in 2014 and hoped to die a martyr.
Now he is proud of being called a terrorist, telling the court the label played a part in his decision to plead guilty to planning the terror attack.
Another reason was to get a reduction in any prison sentence ultimately imposed.
Abbas said he kept his younger brother Hamza in the dark about his plan to stage a terrorist attack.
He said his brother, who he has described as a “fishbrain”, had no idea of his radical plans.
Any involvement he had would ultimately be as a victim, not a conspirator, he said, acknowledging plans to use Hamza as a human bomb.
Abbas told police he had tried desperately to convince his brother to take part in a large scale attack.
“I was pushing him as much as I can so he could join me in this act because I was trying to create a group and he was hesitant, very, very hesitant, he did not want to do it,” he said.
“I was forcing it upon him. And I don’t believe he believes this is what we have to do since — I — I sincerely believe that, because whenever we want to do anything or plan something he’d be, like, no, let’s not do that, let’s not do this and he just — he was always the first person to come up with excuses not wanting to do anything.
“And when he’d be alone he’d tell me, why are you doing this, you know, you don’t have to do that, this isn’t the right thing, we’re taking innocent people’s lives, blah, blah, blah.
“I’d try to do whatever I can to bash my views onto him.”
Abbas has told the jury he was totally committed to Islamic State, having sworn allegiance to the organisation in 2014.
He said he wanted to stage an attack wiping out innocent people as revenge for Australia’s involvement in the war on IS.
The court was told Abbas has admitted to being the architect of the planned terror attack.
“I was forcing them that we should, um, wear vests, explosive vests and then, um, we’re gunna ram a policeman and get his gun and then I was gunna give that gun to whoever I deemed fit to use the gun and then we were gunna go to the city square and, um, one person would use the gun and, um, I was gunna just — whoever I see I was gunna chop and chopping to kill,” he told police.
He said he spent about a month discussing plans with his co-accused.
He told police the group had considered staging an attack in St Kilda before turning their attention to the CBD and Federation Square.
Flinders St station was also considered, he said, but ruled out because of fears the group would get trapped inside the station.
He said he didn’t “hate Australians because they’re Australians. It’s because of what their leaders are doing to innocent people overseas.”
The trial, before Justice Christopher Beale, continues.