The Associated Press
SYDNEY, Australia -- A man accused of plotting to launch terror attacks on Australia’ top spy agency and senior government officials was angry after being refused a passport but never planned to carry out the assaults, a court was told Tuesday.
Zeky Mallah, a 21-year-old supermarket worker, pleaded innocent in the New South Wales state Supreme Court to planning a rifle attack on the Sydney offices of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, or ASIO, or on foreign affairs officials in late 2003.
Prosecutors allege Mallah, a Muslim of Lebanese descent, planned to seize hostages and execute them.
Mallah’ trial is the first under the government’ tough new counterterror legislation. He faces a possible life sentence if convicted.
But his lawyer, Phillip Boulten, said Mallah never intended to kill anybody and only hatched the plan to attract media attention.
“He was not a sleeping terrorist waiting to jump,” Boulten told the court.
“He was a young dreamer, dreaming as it were of his moment in the spotlight,” he added.
Boulten described the plan as “bravado” and “nonsense.”
He said Mallah was depressed at the government’ refusal to give him a passport, which meant he could not go to Lebanon to meet his potential bride or make a pilgrimage to Mecca.
News media had reported Mallah’ battle to have the government reverse its decision to refuse him a passport.
“He was receiving some relief from his depressed state from the buzz that the media was finding him attractive,” Boulten said.
Mallah was also angry that the government never explained why he was refused a passport.
The court has heard that Mallah’ phone calls were tapped by police, which prompted a raid on his Sydney apartment.
Police found a .22-caliber rifle, a note in which Mallah outlined his plans for the attack and an application form to become an ASIO agent, the court heard.