25 Sep 2009

Man jailed for producing how-to book on bombs

9:29 pm on 25 September 2009

A man who produced a do-it-yourself jihad book which gave instructions on how to make bombs has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in Australia.

The BBC reports Bela Khazaal was found guilty in September last year of producing a 110-page book, in Arabic, entitled Provisions Of The Rules Of Jihad.

It advised about terrorist acts such as exploding bombs, shooting down planes and assassinating international figures, including former US president George W Bush.

Khazaal, a former baggage handler, had claimed his book was never intended to incite terrorist acts.

At his sentencing in Sydney, Justice Latham said she found it "unsurprising" a jury had rejected his defence.

Khazaal is the first person to be convicted on the charge of making a document connected with assistance in a terrorist act, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years.