Thirteen terror suspects greeted each other as long-lost friends when they were reunited for the first day of their committal hearing in Melbourne today. Amid extraordinary security at Melbourne's County Court building, the accused men laughed and chatted with each other as they were led into the dock. All 13 have been kept separate in custody - some since November - since their arrest on charges of being members of a terrorist group. Unshackled and dressed in street clothes, the men appeared relaxed and happy to see each other as legal argument dominated today's three hour hearing.
Watched over by a large contingent of court security officers and police, the men sat in pairs separated by glass partitions in the specially-modified dock at the back of the court. The accused remained seated as the magistrate entered and left the court, in defiance of court protocol.
The 13 are all charged with being members of a terrorist group, with some also charged with funding a terrorist organisation. The alleged spiritual leader of the group, Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 46, of the Melbourne suburb of Dallas, was seated in the front row of the dock. The other defendants are Aimen Joud, 21, of Hoppers Crossing, Fadal Sayadi, 26, of Coburg, Amer Haddara, 26, of Yarraville, Ahmed Raad, 23, of Fawkner, Shane Kent, 29, of Meadow Heights, Abdulla Merhi, 21, of Fawkner, Hany Taha, 31, of Hadfield, Izzydeen Atik, 26, of Williamstown, Bassam Raad, 24, of Brunswick, Majed Raad, 22, of Coburg and Shoue Hammoud, 26, of Hadfield.
The hearing erupted in drama when a scuffle broke out between a supporter of the men and security after he reached over the glass partition and touched one of the accused men in the dock. In another incident, one of the suspects accused a security guard of hitting him during the lunch break. ``I did nothing to him ... he hit me,'' the man called out in the court.