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Revision as of 11:08, 18 August 2006 by Harro5 (talk | contribs) (cleanup)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Joseph Terrence Thomas (b. 1973) is an Australian citizen who had a conviction for receiving funds from Al-Qaeda overturned on appeal. He was acquitted of providing resources that would assist in a terrorist act.
Thomas was the first Australian to be convicted under anti-terrorism laws introduced in Australia after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. He was sentenced on March 31, 2006 to five years prison with a non-parole period of two years. Thomas's lawyer, Rob Stary, described the not guilty verdicts on the more serious charges as a "significant victory".
Attorney-General of Australia Philip Ruddock said after news of the conviction,
- "The convictions of Mr. Thomas for the terrorist offence and the offence related to passport manipulation demonstrate the seriousness with which these issues are dealt with by the law and highlights the consequences of becoming involved in these activities".
This was in relation to his travels to Pakistan and Afghanistan, after he married and converted to Islam. Since his arrest, Thomas has been referred to in the media as "Jihad Jack" because when he converted to Islam he took on the name Jihad.
The trial was highly controversial, as the evidence used to prosecute Thomas consisted solely of an interview conducted in a Pakistani military prison. Despite claims that the evidence was obtained under duress and that Thomas had been tortured, the judge deemed the interview to be admissable. The conviction was overturned on appeal by the Victorian Court of Appeals, with the appeals judges ruling that the trial judge should have ruled the evidence inadmissable .
References
- ^ Thomas convicted under terror laws, The Age, February 26, 2006
- Thomas sentenced under terror laws, News.com.au, March 31, 2006
- The Convert, Four Corners, February 27, 2006
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