How come this guy gets busted for gratuitously plotting to kill Baathists in Iraq? At least he had a reason for revenge.
How can Howard keep a straight face??? What's the difference between this guy and the "decapitation" raids by Bush etc using "smart bombs"????
Perth man's Iraq murder conspiracy case 'flimsy'
The lawyer for an Australian citizen of Iraqi descent charged with conspiracy to commit wilful murder in Iraq says the evidence against him looks "flimsy".
The Perth Magistrate Court was told 40-year-old Khairallah Al Bunajim had made a financial transfer to Iraq to facilitate the murders of a number of people - all members of the Saddam Hussein's former ruling Baath Party.
Al Bunajim's lawyer, Andree Horrigan, says she is yet to see the full details of the charges against her client.
"At most the evidence seems to be relatively flimsy so I'll be looking forward to seeing the AFP (Australian Federal Police) brief," she said.
"He's obviously concerned, he's got children, wife all obviously worried about him."
Western Australia Police allege that between Monday and Wednesday this week the man and other people in Iraq plotted to commit the crimes.
The father of six, looking tired and confused, was not required enter a plea and made no application for bail.
He was remanded in custody to reappear on August 9.
AFP and the Western Australian major crime unit arrested Al Bunajim at his home in the Perth suburb of Maddington on Thursday night.
They also seized documents and a computer hard drive.
Terror probe
Federal Justice Minister Chris Ellison says authorities are investigating whether Al Bunajim will face terrorism charges.
"The question of this man's links are being investigated and I can't comment on that at the moment, it's operational," he said.
"Sufficed to say that he's been charged with a serious offence, conspiracy to commit wilful murder, which upon conviction carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment."
The AFP's national manager of counter terrorism Graham Ashton claims the attacks were to be carried out within days.
"We believe it was quite imminent which is why we acted last night [Thursday]," he said.
AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty says Al Bunajim has been living in Australia "for a number of years".
Commissioner Keelty says the allegations relate to activities the man has undertaken in Australia for an offence that would have occurred in Iraq.
"He ... has been charged under the West Australian criminal code for conspiracy to murder," he said.
"It's an unnamed target in Iraq to do with the former ruling Baath Party, but the important thing here is that the matter's now going to go before the courts.
"I really don't want to go into any more detail than that."
Questioning
AFP are questioning a second man in connection to an alleged plot.
Police searched a home in a Sydney suburb of Yagoona as part of the same joint operation with state police and the FBI.
Mr Ashton says the Sydney man is believed to be an unwitting participant in the alleged plot.
"We believe he was going to be involved in sending some money overseas to further this conspiracy," he said.
Howard vigilant
Prime Minister John Howard says he cannot comment on the case, but says it illustrates Australia cannot be complacent when it comes to terrorist threats.
"It is a reminder that the terrorist threat is alive and well and we have no reason to imagine that things of a serious nature could not occur in Australia," Mr Howard told Southern Cross Radio.
"I've said that repeatedly. I hope I'm wrong, I hope it never does happen, we all hope it never happens. We cannot afford to be complacent."
Commissioner Keelty praised the work of Australia's counter-terrorism teams.
"It's important to say that the work of the joint counter-terrorism teams, which are located in each and every jurisdiction in Australia between the AFP and the state and territory police, continues and continues to be quite successful," he said.
Family stunned
The family of Al Bunajim says they are stunned by his arrest.
Brother-in-law Adeeb Ashami says the accused's father and brother were killed by Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
"We all don't want Saddam, he don't want Saddam, his father don't want Saddam, everybody doesn't want Saddam," he said.
"He killed everybody, Saddam killed everybody, we don't want him."
Neighbour Joanne Clark says Al Bunajim and his family were very quiet and kept to themselves and she was very surprised when the house was raided.
"About 6:30pm [AWST] it started, I went to bed about 10 and they were still here," she said.
"It's scary, very scary being so close. It's terrible isn't it."
In other developments: Indonesia's top anti-terrorist investigator says there is "no proof" a former Australian school teacher believed to be in Indonesia heads the Australian branch of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) militant group. (Full Story) A commander for counter-terrorism will be appointed under a restructure of the Western Australian police service. (Full Story)
