Terrorism case opens in Sydney under heavy security

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

SYDNEY, Mar 5 (Reuters) Australian police imposed heavy security around a Sydney court today for the start of a committal hearing for nine men charged with Australia's largest terrorist conspiracy.

The men have been charged with plotting to stage an attack in Sydney, possibly on the city's small nuclear research reactor.

The men have been in a maximum security jail since 2005 when police and security agencies raided homes in Sydney and Melbourne, arresting a total of 18 men. Another nine men face terrorism charges in Melbourne.

At the time of their arrest, police alleged that the Sydney men had been urged by their Muslim cleric leader to inflict maximum damage for the sake of jihad.

Police said the men had attended jihad training camps in Australia, stockpiled chemicals to make explosives and that one of them was found with 165 railway detonators at his home.

Armed police surrounded the small court in the western suburb of Penrith as some 40 lawyers arrived today, along with metal safes holding top secret documents for the case.

The accused men will not appear in court until tomorrow.

''We will have sufficient police here on any given day the court is sitting to deal with any contingency where people want to try and disrupt proceedings,'' said police spokesman Denis Clifford.

The 70-year-old court has undergone major renovations to provide top security for the high profile case, with the dock enclosed in glass.

People entering the court on Monday were scanned and forced to surrender mobile telephones and electronic equipment.

The lawyer for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) asked Magistrate Michael Price today that the case be conducted in a closed court for much of the hearing, which is expected to run for up to two months.

Under new national security laws defence lawyers have been forced to undergo government security checks before appearing.

Reuters AKJ DB1331

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