Rocket launchers part of 'war' plan

MOHAMMAD Ali Elomar was elated. Having allegedly just bought five high-powered rocket launchers stolen from the Australian Defence Force, he began canvassing possible targets such as NSW Parliament House and the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney's south.

MOHAMMAD Ali Elomar was elated. Having allegedly just bought five high-powered rocket launchers stolen from the Australian Defence Force, he began canvassing possible targets such as NSW Parliament House and the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney's south.

But Mr Elomar had allegedly been plotting a terrorist attack in Australia's biggest city long before the purchase of the rocket launchers in October 2003.

Earlier that year, NSW police had intercepted a phone call inwhich he allegedly stated: "Look what is happening overseas. It is a war against Muslims. We should do something about it over here."

Mr Elomar never got the chance to go through with his alleged plan. He was charged with terrorism offences in November 2005, and remains in custody. Yesterday, details emerged of how seven stolen rocket launchers - anti-tank weapons that can penetrate concrete and destroy a passenger vehicle - fell into the hands of Sydney's underworld.

Central Local Court in Sydney was told how alleged Sydney arms dealer Taha Abdul Rahman, 28, had allegedly arranged the sale of the rocket launchers to Adnan Darwiche, the head of a feared Sydney underworld gang now serving a double life sentence for murder.

Mr Abdul Rahman was supported in court yesterday by his wife Belinda as he faced 17 charges laid last week, including unauthorised possession of a prohibited weapon and unauthorised supply of a prohibited weapon - namely, stolen army rocket launchers.

It is understood that a number of witnesses, some of whom have been given immunity from criminal charges, have given statements to police revealing how the rocket launchers were bought following a number of clandestine meetings in late 2003.

At the time Mr Abdul Rahman is alleged to have arranged the sale of the rocket launchers to Darwiche, NSW police were already investigating a string of shootings in Sydney's southwest stemming from a feud between the Darwiches and the rival Razzak family.

Yesterday, during an unsuccessful bail hearing for Mr Abdul Rahman, the court was told that after a series of telephone calls and meetings Darwiche allegedly paid Mr Abdul Rahman $15,000 for the first rocket launcher and then asked for an instruction manual.

Nine days later, in October 2003, he drove to a townhouse at Eagle Vale in Sydney's southwest, allegedly met Mr Abdul Rahman and handed over $70,000 in cash for six more of the weapons.

Mr Abdul Rahman allegedly left the townhouse to pick up the weapons and returned 15 minutes later carrying two dark-coloured plastic garbage bags with three rocket launchers in each bag.

One of the rocket launchers has since been recovered by police but six are still missing.

The court was told that Darwiche and his associates had considered using a rocket launcher in an attack against the Razzak family.

They decided against it because the intended target was a fibro house in Greenacre, and the rocket could have passed through it without exploding.

However, NSW police phone taps in October 2003 revealed that Mr Elomar was allegedly thinking of larger targets and had "joked" about blowing up the NSW Parliament House, before discussing "more seriously" the prospect of targeting "the nuclear place".

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner for Counter Terrorism Nick Kaldas said yesterday there was no intelligence or information to suggest there is any current threat against Parliament House or any other institution.

Mr Kaldas said the security status at Parliament House in Macquarie Street, in Sydney's CBD, had not changed since the threat was revealed.

Yesterday it was alleged that Mr Abdul Rahman, a father of two, planned to flee after his house was raided by police on December 15 last year.

In an intercepted phone call on December 16, Mr Abdul Rahman allegedly said that if he was charged with the "big one" he would be "getting out". He was charged with the offences last week, and has been in custody since.

Yesterday, Mr Abdul Rahman's lawyer, William Brewer, told the court his client was not a flight risk because he did not have a passport and was the daytime carer of his two young daughters.

Magistrate Allan Moore refused bail, saying he was concerned about allegations the accused had "the capacity to source weapons of this nature and move them on to the criminal element".