Faheem Khalid Lodhi
Encyclopedia
Faheem Khalid Lodhi (also known as Abu Hamza. b. 1969/70, Pakistan
) is a Pakistani-Australian architect and the first convicted Australian terrorist under new legislation enacted in 2005.
He was born in Pakistan, immigrated to Australia in 1996 and obtained Australian citizenship. He is an architect
by profession.
Police raided his Lakemba, New South Wales
home and workplace on 26 October 2003, discovering evidence of a terrorist plot.
He was accused of plotting to bomb the national electricity grid and/or Sydney
defence sites in the cause of violent jihad.
During his trial, the court was told He and Willie Brigitte
, who was deported in October 2003 for breaching his tourist visa, trained in Pakistan with Lashkar-e-Toiba
and had contact using mobile phones registered under false names. The court was also told he helped arrange accommodation for Brigitte when he arrived in Sydney, in May 2003.
He was convicted by a New South Wales
Supreme Court
jury in June 2006 on three terrorism-related offences. Namely:
In August 2006 he was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, with a 15 year non-parole period.
His possible targets were the national electricity supply system, and three Sydney defense installations; the army base Victoria Barracks
, Sydney naval base HMAS Penguin
and army training area Holsworthy Barracks
.
At the ruling Justice Anthony Wheally commented that Lodhi had “the intent of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause, namely violent jihad” and to “instil terror into members of the public so that they could never again feel free from the threat of bombing in Australia.”
He is classified as a high security ‘AA’ prisoner and he will be eligible for parole in 2019.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
) is a Pakistani-Australian architect and the first convicted Australian terrorist under new legislation enacted in 2005.
He was born in Pakistan, immigrated to Australia in 1996 and obtained Australian citizenship. He is an architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
by profession.
Police raided his Lakemba, New South Wales
Lakemba, New South Wales
Lakemba is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lakemba is located 15 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canterbury....
home and workplace on 26 October 2003, discovering evidence of a terrorist plot.
He was accused of plotting to bomb the national electricity grid and/or Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
defence sites in the cause of violent jihad.
During his trial, the court was told He and Willie Brigitte
Willie Brigitte
Willie Virgile Brigitte is a French convert to Islam who associated with the al-Qaeda and was possibly involved in a plot to conduct a terrorist operation in Australia....
, who was deported in October 2003 for breaching his tourist visa, trained in Pakistan with Lashkar-e-Toiba
Lashkar-e-Toiba
Lashkar-e-Taiba – also transliterated as Lashkar-i-Tayyaba, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Lashkar-i-Taiba, Lashkar Taiba or LeT – is one of the largest and most active militant Islamist terrorist organizations in South Asia, operating mainly from Pakistan.It was founded by Hafiz Muhammad...
and had contact using mobile phones registered under false names. The court was also told he helped arrange accommodation for Brigitte when he arrived in Sydney, in May 2003.
He was convicted by a New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
jury in June 2006 on three terrorism-related offences. Namely:
- acting in preparation for a terrorist act, an offence carrying a maximum life sentence,
- seeking information about chemicals capable of making explosives,
- possessing a "terrorism manual" and buying two maps of the electricity grid, connected with preparation for a terrorist act.
In August 2006 he was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, with a 15 year non-parole period.
His possible targets were the national electricity supply system, and three Sydney defense installations; the army base Victoria Barracks
Victoria Barracks, Sydney
Victoria Barracks is an Australian Army base in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Victoria Barracks is located in the suburb of Paddington, between Oxford Street and Moore Park Road...
, Sydney naval base HMAS Penguin
HMAS Penguin (naval base)
HMAS Penguin is a shore establishment of the Royal Australian Navy located at Balmoral on the shore of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman, New South Wales...
and army training area Holsworthy Barracks
Holsworthy Barracks
Holsworthy Barracks is located in the outer south-western Sydney suburb of Holsworthy. It is part of the Holsworthy military reserve, which has been a training area and artillery range for the Australian Army since World War I. Following World War II it became a major base for the permanent...
.
At the ruling Justice Anthony Wheally commented that Lodhi had “the intent of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause, namely violent jihad” and to “instil terror into members of the public so that they could never again feel free from the threat of bombing in Australia.”
He is classified as a high security ‘AA’ prisoner and he will be eligible for parole in 2019.