Despite the fact that not even the judge thinks Kent has abandoned his “jihadist views.”
An update on this story. “Jihadist Shane Kent could be our [sic] in under a year,” by Norrie Ross for the Herald Sun, September 3:
A home-grown terrorist who was part of a group that planned attacks in Melbourne could be free in just over nine months.
After pleading guilty to being part of a terrorist group Shane Kent, 32, was jailed for a minimum term of three years and nine months.
Justice Bernard Bongiorno set a maximum term of five years after saying Kent had not abandoned his violent jihadist views.
The Supreme Court judge also said Kent was not genuinely sorry for his part in the terror group.
He said the group or ‘jemaah’ planned their terrorist activities to force the Federal Government to withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Kent was an enthusiastic member and he and the others were secretly recorded talking about jihad and the promotion of the Islamic cause by violence against the kuffar – Arabic for unbelievers.
“On each of these conversations, as in many others, he (Kent) spoke as a member of the group and not as an outsider,” Justice Bongiorno said.
They talked of members of the “jemaah” needing to be ready to destroy buildings and kill people in a jihad.
“The actions of those who engaged in the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States and the attacks on trains in Madrid and London were discussed in terms of praise and admiration,” the judge said.
Kent, a father of three of Meadow Heights, could be out in just over nine months as he has served 1115 days on remand.
Justice Bongiorno said that Kent had a psychiatric disorder and psychiatrists had said he was remorseful.
“He is doubtless sorry for having imposed the hardship of his incarceration on his family,” the judge said.
“However, I am not prepared to accept . . . that he has abandoned the cause of violent jihad.”
Kent pleaded guilty to being a member of a terrorist group between 1 July 2004 and 8 November 2005 and of recklessly making a document connected with preparation for a terrorist act.
He admitted helping create an Islamic propaganda jihadist video featuring Osama bin Laden, tributes to “martyrs” and a graphic image of a dead young extremist.