Five Muslim men planned attack on army base, NSW Supreme Court told

SYDNEY - Five Muslim men planned an armed terrorist attack on a Sydney army base to further the cause of Islam by killing as many people as possible, a Supreme Court jury heard today.

The Herald Sun quoted prosecutor Nick Robinson, as saying the men took a number of steps in preparation for the attack, including sending one of their number to Somalia to obtain a fatwa or religious decree to permit the plan to go ahead.

Robinson said members of the group used the code “the man who has gone to Perth” when talking about Yacqub Khayre’s trip in search of a fatwa.

The plan was that five or six men armed with high powered weapons would enter the Holsworthy Army Base and fire at and kill as many people as possible before they were either killed or overwhelmed.

They planned to use weapons that could fire at least 60 bullets.

On trial are Saney Edow Aweys, 26, Mr Khayre, 22, Abdirahman Mohamud Ahmed, 25, and Wissam Mahmoud Fattal, 33,and Nayef El Sayed, 25.

They have all pleaded not guilty to conspiring with each other and persons unknown between February 1 and August 4 last year to do acts in preparation for, or planning a terrorist act or acts. (ANI)