Convicted terror cell leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika is a fanatic who encouraged hatred of non-Muslims and urged his followers to kill thousands of Australians, a judge says.
Sentencing Benbrika to 15 years jail in the Victorian Supreme Court on Tuesday, Justice Bernard Bongiorno said it made little difference that he and his followers had not chosen a target and had little skill or expertise.
Benbrika and six of his followers were found guilty last year of 17 terror-related charges.
The other members of the group, or "jemaah", received jail sentences on Tuesday ranging from 10 years to six years.
"Terrorism isn't the preserve of highly skilled or highly intelligent operatives," Justice Bongiorno said.
The Algerian-born Benbrika, 48, preached that Australia was a "land at war" and as such non-Muslim Australians, or kuffars, were legitimate targets.
He told his jemaah that violent jihad was an integral part of their religious obligations, a belief he "constantly reinforced".
Benbrika, a father of seven who was also known as Abu Bakr, encouraged his followers to commit "acts of terrible violence", aimed at forcing the withdrawal of Australian troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
He received the 15-year sentence for his role as the director of a terrorist organisation.
He also received a seven-year sentence for being a member of the same organisation and five years for possessing a CD containing a terrorist manual. He must serve a minimum of 12 years.
Of his co-accused, Aimen Joud, 24, will serve a minimum of seven-and-a-half years; Fadl Sayadi, 29, must serve a minimum of eight; Abdullah Merhi, 23, a minimum of four and a half, Ahmed Raad, 25, and Ezzit Raad, 27, a minimum of seven-and-a-half each; and Amer Haddara, 29, a minimum of four-and-a-half years.
The judge, who presided over the seven-month trial that ended last September, rejected defence submissions that the group's failure to commit any terrorist act, to have selected any targets or acquire any weapons or explosives, had no relevance in relation to culpability.
It is not known if any of those convicted will lodge appeals.
