Faheem Khalid Lodhi is guilty. “Architect plotted terror strike on Australia,” from the TimesOnline, with thanks to all who sent this in:
A Pakistani-born architect behind a plot to carry out a terrorist attack on Australian soil was facing life in prison today.
Faheem Khalid Lodhi, 36, used a false name to purchase detailed maps of Sydney’s electricity grid and military bases. He downloaded bomb-making instructions from the internet and placed orders for chemicals used in explosives.
Authorities were alerted in October 2003 by his boss when a suspicious fax – containing prices of chemicals which can be used in explosives – arrived at his office.
A 15-page book of notes handwritten in Urdu, containing instructions to make petrol bombs, cyanide gas and hand grenades was found in a raid the following day.
A computer disk containing more than 600 files relating to Islamic extremism and military training manuals was found in a simultaneous search of his home….
The Sunni Muslim had denied all of the charges, saying that he had migrated to Australia in 1998 to “do something better for my life” and saying the killing innocent people was against Islam.
He argued that, struggling to find work as an architect, he had considered setting up his own export business and chemical manufacture company.
“This country is my country. These people are my people,” he told the court.
In court papers, Lodhi was accused of “the intent of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause, namely violent jihad”.
Of course killing innocent people is against Islam. But who decides who is innocent, and on what basis?