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"Jihad Jack" placed under court curfew
Federal police fear that Jack Thomas could use his al-Qa'ida training to launch terrorist attacks on Australia and have placed him under a strict curfew. Despite a court throwing out terror charges against him last week, the federal police convinced a magistrate in Canberra he is an ongoing threat. Under the control order, Mr Thomas must report to police three times a week and is subject to a strict curfew. He is also banned from using any telephone that has not been approved by police.
"and we're taking away your pony!"
According to papers lodged with the court, police believe Mr Thomas, who was at the beach this morning with his family when he was issued with the order, has admitted to being trained by the terrorist outfit headed by Osama bin Laden in 2001 and is an ongoing danger to the community.

"There are good reasons to believe that given Mr Thomas has received training with al-Qa’ida he is now an available resource that can be tapped into to commit terrorist acts on behalf of al-Qa’ida or related terrorist cells. Training has provided Mr Thomas with the capability to execute or assist with the execution directly or indirectly of any terrorist acts," the court documents say.
If they've got even half a brain, they'll stay miles away from him and his police watchdogs
"Mr Thomas has admitted that he trained with al-Qa’ida in 2001. Al-Qa’ida is a listed terrorist organisation under section 4A of the Criminal Code Regulations 2002, made under the Criminal Code Act 1995. Mr Thomas also admitted that while at the al-Qa’ida training camp he undertook weapons training, including the use of explosives and learned how to assemble and shoot various automatic weapons.

"Mr Thomas is vulnerable. Mr Thomas may be susceptible to the views and beliefs of persons who will nurture him during his reintegration into the community. Mr Thomas’s links with extremists such as Abu Bakir Bashir, some of which are through his wife, may expose and exploit Mr Thomas’s vulnerabilities. "Furthermore, the mere fact that Mr Thomas has trained in al-Qai’da training camps, and associated with senior al-Qai’da figures, in Afghanistan is attractive to aspirant extremists who will seek out his skills and experiences to guide them in achieving their potentially extremist objectives."

His brother Les Thomas said the AFP and Attorney General's Department were "trying to save themselves embarrassment" by issuing his brother with a temporaray control order - the first under the Howard Government's new anti-terrorism laws. Jack Thomas was handed the order by AFP members at Cape Loch where he was holidaying with his wife and young family after the Victorian Court of Appeal overturned his convictions on terrorism charges two weeks ago.

"This will lessen peoples' faith in the Australian Federal Police,'' Mr Thomas said. "The resources, the time and money invested into this really makes you wonder about the politicisation of the AFP and the Attorney General's office. We're very sad Jack has been thrown back into this kind of situation. This was meant to be Jack's time to get away and have family time. The AFP and the Attorney General's Department are pursuing this case relentlessly.''
Posted by: Steve 2006-08-28
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=164314