Jury indicated it could not reach a verdict, but was ordered to push on? : Melbourne Indymedia

A man accused of planning to blow up the national electricity grid or a Sydney defence site has been found guilty of serious thought crimes.

Faheem Khalid Lodhi, 36, is the first person in the country to be convicted of planning a terrorist act and faces a maximum penalty of life in jail.

Before he was arrested, Lodhi had gathered maps, chemicals and recipes for poisons and homemade bombs but not to carry out any plan. However the fact that he like all of us collected things before being arrested somehow made him guilty of a crime?

He allegedly downloaded the material off the Internet, which is not usually illegal?

Before delivering its verdict though, just after 2pm today, the NSW Supreme Court jury of six men and six women had deliberated for five days.

The jury had previously indicated it could not reach a verdict after the seven-week trial, but was ordered to push on? Why was that? And on whose order? Against the decision of the jury? What do you call that? Fraud!

Fishing Expedition

As evidence Lodhi was planning the attack, the prosecution relied on several documents seized during ASIO raids in October, 2003, at the Lakemba home where Lodhi lived with his wife, Aysha Hamedd, and from his desk at his workplace in the city.

They included a so-called "terror manual", a 15-page, handwritten document in Lodhi's native Urdu language with numerous recipes for explosives and poisons that he had obtained from the Internet. Lodhi said he was just curious and had paid little attention to it.

The prosecution also produced a list of chemical prices Lodhi had sought, maps of the national electricity grid he had bought.

Is it illegal to buy maps of the electricity grid? Only if you're an accused terrorist?

Police also seized DVDs and CDs of alleged jihadist doctrine and alleged terror training. Which is not usually illegal? What about Rambo?

The prosecution also alleged that Lodhi was in close contact with French terror suspect Willy Brigitte while the latter was in Sydney and had used a false name to open a mobile phone account to call Brigitte.

But lots of people have phone accounts with false names. When the technology first came out most people I know got an account with a false name.

Willy Bridgitte was a scapegaoat and only an alleged terror suspect as well so why not tie up all the scapegoats and make them look as guilty as each other?

Lodhi had offered various explanations for the documents - the chemical list was for an export company he was planning, the maps a marketing tool for another planned venture to send generators to Pakistan and the aerial photographs were for his resume as he had worked on each of the defence sites in the past.

He also gave false personal details for the chemical and map inquiries but said it was a mistake. Common mistakes are made and if only they weren't you still have to have some reason to want to buy chemicals and there is no evidence of a bomb factory or material to support the planning of making a bomb?

Nevertheless the jury was forced to comply with the JUDGES ORDERS AND
Lodhi was found guilty of three terror-related charges, one of which carries life and two a maximum of 15 years' jail.

These charges were that he collected maps of the Australian electricity supply system in preparation of a terrorist act (15 years), BUT WITH NO DETAILS ABOUT THE PREPARATION ACCEPT MATERIAL TO SUPPORT THOUGHT CRIME? that he sought information on chemical prices for the use of explosives for a terrorist act (life), BUT NO SOUND EVIDENCE ABOUT WHETHER THE CHEMICALS WERE GOING TO BE PURCHASED OR USED FOR THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES OR A TERRORIST ACT and that he possessed a document with information on the manufacture of poisons and bombs in preparation for a terrorist act (15 years). THAT HE LIKE MANY OTHERS MAY HAVE DOWNLOADED FROM THE INTERNET WHICH IS NOT ILLEGAL USUALLY?

SUBSEQUENTLY He was found not guilty of one charge of downloading aerial photographs of Sydney defence sites in preparation of a terror act (15 years).

SO WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT WHAT TERRORIST ACT IN AUSTRALIA OR ANYWHERE FOR THAT MATTER? THIS IS FRAUD!

THE GRAND FINALLY

He still faces five charges of making a false or misleading statement to ASIO? WHY WOULDN'T YOU LOSE YOUR MEMORY WHILE BEING INTERIGATED AND ISOLATED IN A HOLDING CELL WITH THEM?

The Sunni Muslim, who emigrated from Pakistan in 1998 for a better life, repeatedly denied being a terrorist, saying that killing innocent people was not part of Islam.

"This country is my country. These people are my people," he told the court.

Justice Anthony Whealy remanded Lodhi in custody to face sentencing submissions on June 29.

THE ORIGINAL EVIDENCE OF STORING OVER 100 ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER TO MAKE A BOMB WAS NOT SEEN OR HEARD OF AGAIN! FUNNY THAT!

SHAME HOWARD SHAME ON YOU!