Terror manual puts Australian Muslim in jail

Sep 25, 2009, 4:52 GMT

   Sydney - An Australian who published a manual for terrorists that included methods of mass murder was jailed Friday for nine years by a Sydney court.

   Belal Khazaal, 39, a former Sydney Airport baggage handler, had denied the charge of attempting to incite the commission of a terrorist act, but he was found guilty in September 2008 by a jury.

   His 102-page guide entitled Provisions of the Laws of Jihad gave advice on shooting down planes, carrying out car bombings and killing world leaders.

   Glue inside a custard pie thrown in someone's face could kill, according to the how-to guide published in Arabic on the internet in 2003.

   The doctored pie was recommended because the victim would not know there was glue inside that could cause suffocation by blocking the nose and mouth.

   'A couple could pretend to be joking before attacking the target,' a translation of the relevant section read. 'Few would suspect the fatal consequences.'

   Lawyers for Khazaal had argued that his was a compilation of the work of others and so he couldn't be held responsible for it.

   'It beggars belief that a person of average intelligence who has devoted themselves to the study of Islam over some years would fail to recognize the nature of the material,' Justice Megan Latham said.

   Khazaal's supporters shouted abuse from the gallery when the sentence was read out. Outside the court, they said he had been picked on because he was a Muslim.

   Khazaal is to appeal the conviction and sentence.