A man who supplied a radicalized teenager with a gun that he used to kill an Australian police employee yesterday made an Islamic State (IS) group salute as he was jailed for 44 years.
Raban Alou admitted obtaining and giving a handgun to 15-year-old Farhad Mohammad at a Sydney mosque in 2015.
The teenager then shot Curtis Cheng, 58, in the back of the head outside New South Wales police headquarters.
Mohammad, who authorities at the time said was born in Iran of Iraqi and Kurdish background, was shot and killed in an exchange of fire with police special constables soon after the killing.
The New South Wales Supreme Court sentenced Alou, 20, to a maximum of 44 years behind bars, including 33 years without possibility of parole, after he pleaded guilty to aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring a terrorist act.
The Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) said he gave an Islamic State salute — with one finger pointing skyward — and shouted “this is only the beginning” as he was led away.
In his sentencing remarks, Justice Peter Johnson said that Alou had shown no remorse.
“The offender’s response is devoid of basic humanity,” the ABC quoted him as saying. “The offender was a very active planner and participant in this offence.”
“Unless the offender had obtained the firearm and supplied it to Farhad Mohammad, this crime would not have been committed,” Johnson said.
Canberra is concerned about the prospect of lone-wolf attacks by individuals inspired by groups such as the Islamic State and lifted its terror threat alert to high in 2014.
Since then, 85 people have been charged as a result of 36 counter-terrorism related operations around the country, police said earlier last month.
At least 14 attacks have been prevented over the past few years, although several have taken place
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