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Benbrika brain scan delays sentencing
17th December 2008, 9:39 WST
The sentencing of seven terror suspects has been delayed after tests showed Australia's first convicted terror group leader has a brain abnormality.
Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 48, was found guilty in September of leading a terror cell that discussed blowing up the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Victorian Supreme Court heard on Wednesday that Benbrika had undergone a brain scan which showed an abnormality.
Benbrika's lawyer Remy van de Wiel QC said he anticipated Benbrika would be seen by a neuropsychiatrist within a week.
Mr van de Wiel said depending on the result of the test, he may ask the judge to order further tests.
The court heard a further pre-sentence hearing in relation to Benbrika may also be necessary.
Neither the prosecution or lawyers for any of the other convicted men opposed the delay.
Justice Bernard Bongiorno indicated he had planned to sentence all of the men at once, so all sentences should be delayed.
He indicated the sentence was unlikely to take place before the middle of January.
Benbrika, of Dallas in Melbourne's north, faces a maximum of 25 years' imprisonment on his most serious charge of being the leader of the terror cell.
Six other Melbourne Muslim men in their 20s were also found guilty of terror cell membership.
During the 115-day trial that began in February, the court heard the men had planned attacks on Melbourne's Crown Casino and the MCG on AFL grand final day.
The jury was told Benbrika had told his followers that it was "permissible to kill women, children and the aged".
He told one of his group: "If we want to die for jihad, we do maximum damage, maximum damage, damage their buildings with everything and damage their lives just to show them".
Benbrika also told his followers the group needed to kill at least 1,000 non-believers to make the Australian government withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
AAP
SYG
synergy equities group limited
