A Melbourne man has pleaded
guilty to being a member of a terrorist organisation and to being involved in preparing for a terrorist act.
The retrial of 32-year-old Shane Kent was due to start in the Victorian Supreme Court on Tuesday, but before it could begin Kent pleaded guilty to the two charges which stem from a police investigation going back five years.
Kent's offences were part of a plan to carry out a terrorist attack on a major Melbourne landmark.
Today he pleaded guilty to knowingly being a member of a terrorist organisation between July 2004 and November 2005. The indictment says the terrorist group was preparing an attack involving weapons or bombs.
He also admitted guilt on one count of making a document connected with preparation for a terrorist act and being reckless about that connection. That charge relates to a video he helped make.
A third charge to do with supporting Al Qaeda was dropped.
Kent is by no means unfamiliar with court appearances. Last September a jury failed to reach a verdict on charges against him.
In an eight-month trial a jury was told Kent had travelled overseas and taken part in about two months' training which involved the use of guns and explosives.
In one tapped phone call, submitted as evidence in that trial, Kent berates a co-accused for discussing matters on the phone.
That trial was told the group of 12 men planned to launch an attack on the 2005 AFL Grand final at the MCG.
The original trial heard he was a member of a terror group
led by a Melbourne man who styled himself as a Muslim cleric. The leader was found guilty of directing the activities of a terrorist organisation and was sentenced to at least 12 years in jail. Six other members of the group were also sentenced to prison.
Despite no verdict being reached on Kent last year,
the Muslim convert
is no stranger to prison. Since his arrest in November 2005 he has spent about three years behind bars.
Today Kent stood before Justice David Byrne wearing an ash coloured shirt with a casual jacket. He stood stony faced as his lawyer John Champion, SC, made the case for continued bail.
Kent was granted bail on strict conditions in October last year, a month after the first trial came to an end.
For nine months he has been under night-time curfew and has had his phone and internet access restricted.
He has had to report to Broadmeadows police daily and provide them with the registration details of any car he plans to travel in.
Mr Champion told the court those conditions have worked well and there is no reason to believe his client is a flight risk or that he harbours any ongoing desire to commit violent jihad.
Mr Champion detailed a psychological report on Kent which says he is depressed and highly anxious and that his condition is likely to deteriorate if his treatment stops.
The father of three is also expecting another child and the court was asked to allow him to stay at home so he can support his family.
But under the Crimes Act the case requires exceptional circumstances to be proved when any case for bail is being made.
The Crown opposed bail and without disclosing his reasons Justice Byrne ruled that it would not be granted.
Kent's supporters sobbed as the ruling was made.
He will be in court again next month for a pre-sentence hearing.
Tags: defence-and-national-security, law-crime-and-justice, australia, vic, melbourne-3000
.......his supporters sobbed....... - what, for a wannabe massmurderer ?
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