NSW: Terror plot accused was armed when arrested: court told
25 Nov 2008 2:32 PM
SYDNEY, Nov 25 AAP - A Sydney man was armed with a loaded revolver and pistol when police arrested him in connection with an alleged terrorist plot, a jury has been told.
Omar Baladjam, 31, has been named as a conspirator at the NSW Supreme Court trial of five men accused of committing terrorist related acts.
Mohamed Ali Elomar, 43, Abdul Rakib Hasan, 39, Mohammed Omar Jamal, 24, Moustafa Cheikho, 31, and Khaled Cheikho, 35, have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit acts in preparation for a terrorist act.
Although Baladjam is not standing trial with the five men, Justice Anthony Whealy has told the jury they may use evidence of his actions to determine the existence and extent of the alleged conspiracy.
Detective Senior Constable Sean Beehag on Tuesday told the jury police arrested Baladjam on the morning of November 8, 2005 as his Hoxton Park home was being raided.
Baladjam was not at the premises and Det Sen Const Beehag said he was arrested at another location.
He had in his possession a loaded .38 calibre Smith & Wesson revolver, a speed loader for the gun, and a 9mm Browning self-loading pistol.
The guns were handed to the jury for inspection, the second such group of weapons to be tendered in court.
Jurors were last week shown a dozen firearms, including eight rifles, allegedly recovered from safes at Elomar's home.
Det Sen Const Beehag, a NSW Police terrorism investigation squad officer, said a range of chemicals including acid, methylated spirits and caustic soda, were recovered during the raid targeting Baladjam.
Various receipts were tendered for the purchase of a .22 calibre semi-automatic firearm and a Beretta pistol of the same calibre.
There were also invoices for a soldering tool, a digital multimeter and a switch, butane and a stove, scales and a water filter.
The jury was shown a notebook found in Baladjam's study with various to-do lists and references to his alleged co-conspirators.
One listed in order: pistol licence, peroxide - h'dresser, get other car, 9mm, 7.62 x 39mm (solid tips - inquire), soft point PMC, credit card details, clothes size.
Others said "see Mersad - $ ammo", "Mazan - sizes + backpack" and "? name, rifle".
Details of various mobile phones were found along with registration documents for firearms and a "splash painting and decorating" business.
