Australian court upholds terror manual charge

From AFP,  the Australian and the Herald Sun

SYDNEY — A former Qantas worker found guilty of producing a do-it-yourself jihad manual had his conviction reinstated by Australia's High Court Friday, with judges ruling he had extremist intentions. Lebanese-born Belal Khazaal, an ex-Qantas cabin cleaner, was jailed for 12 years (with a non-parole period of nine years) in 2009 over the Arabic-language handbook, which included how-to guides on bomb-making, assassinations, kidnappings and shooting down planes.

The 110-page "Provisions of the Rules of Jihad: Short Judicial Rulings and Organisational Instructions for Fighters and Mujahideen Against Infidels" named ex-US president George W. Bush and his CIA chief George Tenet as targets.

Khazaal, 42, had his conviction for knowingly making a document connected with assistance in a terrorist act quashed by an appeals court in 2011, but government prosecutors sought to have it reinstated by the High Court.

A five-judge panel headed by Chief Justice Robert French ruled Friday that Khazaal's original conviction should stand. In its decision published today, the court unanimously allowed the appeal.

“In relation to the argument on the appeal, the court held that the evidence pointed to by the respondent did not suggest a reasonable possibility that the making of the e-book was not intended to facilitate assistance in a terrorist act,” the High Court ruled. “In relation to the notice of contention, the court held that no error had been shown in the trial judge's directions.”

The manual, which he posted on the internet, contained advice on assassination, bombmaking and shooting down planes, among other things. It comprised material written in Arabic concerning Islam and jihad that Khazaal had downloaded from the internet. It also included a dedication, foreword and other short passages that he had written.

Following the order, Khazaal, dressed in a long grey robe, embraced supporters in court before being led away by corrective services officers.