Terrorists who planned to blow up Federation Square killing thousands of people in a Christmas Day massacre smirk before they are jailed
- Hamza Abbas, 24, Abdullah Chaarani, 29, Ahmed Mohamed, 27, sentenced
- They plotted to wage terror on Federation Square, St Paul’s and Flinders Street
- The twisted trio smiled as they headed into the Supreme Court of Victoria
Terrorists who planned to blow up Melbourne’s Federation Square in a Christmas Day massacre have been jailed.
Ahmed Mohamed, Abdullah Chaarani and Hamza Abbas were found guilty of terror charges for plotting attacks through the central city in 2016.
They were planning to detonate bombs and behead people.
The trio were seen smirking as they made their way into the Supreme Court of Victoria for sentencing on Friday.
Ahmed Mohamed (centre) smiled as he arrived to the Supreme Court of Victoria, Melbourne, Friday
Hamza Abbas arrives to the Supreme Court of Victoria, Melbourne on Friday. He was part of a group who planned an attack on the city in 2016
Mohamed and Chaarani were sentenced to 28 years behind bars, while Abbas must serve 16 years.
Justice Christopher Beale said the plot was an ‘assault on the fundamental values of our society’.
Chaarani and Mohamed were already convicted of terrorism charges and were serving 22 year sentences for burning down a mosque in Melbourne’s north weeks before the planned Christmas Day attack.
During the trial last year, the court heard how the men had bought machetes and metal pipes and had tried to buy guns for the plot.
More to come
Abdullah Chaarani (centre) arrives to the Supreme Court of Victoria, Melbourne on Friday