Three men who planned to commit a Christmas Day terror attack targeting Melbourne's Federation Square have been served with lengthy prison sentences.
Ahmed Mohamed, Abdullah Chaarani and Hamza Abbas are three of four men convicted over the plot to behead people and set off bombs on Christmas Day in 2016, alongside Abbas' brother who has already been jailed over the plan.
At the Supreme Court of Victoria today, Justice Christopher Beale sentenced Mohamed and Chaarani to at least 28 years and six months and Abbas, who was involved in the conspiracy for a shorter time, has been jailed for 22 years with a non-parole period of 16 years and six months.
During a lengthy trial last year, the jury heard the men had purchased machetes and metal pipes, as well as materials and chemicals to make explosives, and had tried to obtain guns.
They had also conducted reconnaissance in and around Federation Square, where the prosecution said they wanted to carry out an attack around Christmas in 2016 in order to maximise casualties.
After six days of deliberation, the jury found them guilty of terrorism offences on November 2 last year.
Chaarani and Mohamed are already serving a 22-year jail term for terrorism offences after the duo burned down a mosque in Fawkner, in Melbourne's north, in 2016.
More to come…
Source: https://ift.tt/2OOECNG
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