By Alesha Capone
A Werribee man who planned to commit a terrorist attack in Federation Square has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The Supreme Court today sentenced Ali Khalif Shire Ali, 23, to 10 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of seven years and six months, over his role in the preparation and planning of a terrorist act in the Melbourne CBD ahead of the 2017/18 New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The ABC reported that during 2017, after Ali tried to buy an AK-47 assault rifle from undercover Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers, they were able to foil his plans.
The AFP, Victoria Police and ASIO today issued a release which said the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT), comprising members from the three law enforcement bodies, charged Ali on November 28, 2017.
Ali is also the brother of the man who crashed a car full of gas cylinders and stabbed three people in Melbourne’s CBD during 2o18, killing Pellegrini’s owner Sisto Malaspina.
Anyone with information about extremist activity or possible threats to the community should come forward, no matter how small or insignificant you may think the information may be. The National Security Hotline is 1800 123 400.
