Man Who Plotted Terror Attack On Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras Jailed For 15 Years
Image: File photo of convicted terrorist Hamdi Alqudsi. (AAP Image/Nikki Short).
A Sydney man, who headed a terrorist organisation that plotted to carry out attacks on Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, a naval base and a courthouse, has been jailed for 15 years.
The NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday sentenced Hamdi Alqudsi (48), leader of the terrorist group ‘Shura’, seven months after he was held guilty of planning to carry out the terror attacks. Alqudsi will become eligible for release in February 2031.
In 2016, Alqudsi became the first Australian to be convicted and sentenced to eight years imprisonment for his role in sending young men, some as young as 16, from Australia to Syria to help Islamic State fighters in the country’s civil war.
Islamic State Directed Terror Attacks
The second case related to Alqudsi setting up the terrorist organisation called ‘Shura’ (consultation council in Arabic) in 2013 and crowning himself the “emir” or the commander.
According to the prosecution, on August 31, 2014, members of the Shura pledged allegiance to the Islamic State during a ceremony held at Wattamolla Beach.
The group’s original plan was to recruit young men to fight in Syria. After this was foiled by the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police, Shura sought and received permission from the Islamic State to carry out domestic terror plots.
Intercepted Phone Conversations Reveal Terror Plans
During the trial, the prosecution played intercepted phone conversations between members of the group. In one of the conversations in September 2014, Mohammad Ali Baryalei, the Shura’s contact in Syria, suggested bombing the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Baryalei promised to send someone from Syria to train Shura members to set up improvised explosive devices for the Mardi Gras attack.
Alqudsi pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed he was innocent. An affidavit filed by prison chaplain Ahmed Kilani in February 2023 claimed that Alqudsi’s Islamic views were “moderate” and he did not “indicate any support for any violent extremism”, reported AAP.
The prosecution said Alqudsi had never disavowed his past extremist views.
Catastrophic Consequences
Justice Stephen Rothman said that while the terror plans were in their “early stages”, if successfully carried out, they would have been “catastrophic”, reported News.com.au.
“An attack on the Garden Island Naval Base would most probably involve loss of life and serious injury to many people…. An attack on the court targeting, in particular, Australian Federal Police officers was intended to involve serious damage and loss of life.”
“An attack on the Mardi Gras, in particular, if it occurred by way of an improvised explosive device, for which training was to be received, would have been horrendous and targeted innocent members of the public,” Justice Rothman said.
He should be immediately deported at the expiration of his prison sentence. We don’t need or even want people like him in Australia.
Export to Syria
He should FRY!