Terrorist 'had six macabre videos'

VICTORIAN terrorist Shane Kent was not simply a barracker on the sidelines of a Melbourne terror cell but a man "front and centre" within the group organisation who had six graphic videos of Muslim extremists beheading Westerners.

VICTORIAN terrorist Shane Kent was not simply a barracker on the sidelines of a Melbourne terror cell but a man "front and centre" within the group organisation who had six graphic videos of Muslim extremists beheading Westerners.

Prosecutors yesterday dismissed arguments by defence lawyers for Kent at his Supreme Court plea hearing that the 32-year-old former forklift driver was not committed to violent jihad and therefore should get a lighter sentence.

Kent pleaded guilty last month to one count of being a member of a terrorist organisation and one reduced count of recklessly making a document -- a violent jihadist video -- connected with preparing a terrorist act. He was on the verge of a retrial after a jury last year was unable to reach a verdict on whether he belonged to a Melbourne terror group.

His lawyer, John Champion SC, told the plea hearing yesterday his client should not go back to prison for his offences because he had already served more than three years in remand jail since his arrest in 2004.

He said Kent did not play much of a role within the terrorist cell and should get a reduced sentence because of this fact. Mr Champion said his plea of guilty and struggle with depression should also be taken into account.

"He has reached a point where the time he has served is sufficient in the circumstances," Mr Champion said. "Sending someone back into prison under these circumstances for six months cannot be justified."

He urged Supreme Court judge Bernard Bongiorno to make Kent eligible for parole immediately.

But prosecutor Lesley Taylor told the hearing Kent was not a peripheral figure within a terror cell. "From the very beginning to the very end, Kent showed his commitment to the terror organisation and showed his commitment to violent jihad," she said.

She told the court Kent had been found with a vast amount of jihadist material on him after he returned from Dubai in 2003, including "macabre" videos of beheadings, footage of car-bombs and al-Qa'ida training manuals.

Ms Taylor said Kent had also put a month's solid work into helping to create the jihadist video and was disappointed that he did not get credit for his efforts.

"Don't worry, we will sneak something in, in small font," Kent's co-accused told him, according to Ms Taylor.

She told the hearing Kent was in fact "front and centre" of the terror organisation and should be jailed for his role.

"This evidence is not the evidence of a man who wavered in his commitment to violent jihad," she said.

"The crown does maintain in its submission that any sentence which resulted in an immediate release of the prisoner would be manifestly inadequate."

Justice Bongiorno said he hoped to sentence Kent in the next two weeks.