Terrorists tried to blow up plane carrying their gay brother
The brothers plotted to blow up an Etihad Airways flight (Photo: Kentaro IEMOTO/CC BY-SA 2.0)
Two ISIS-inspired terrorists have been jailed after attempting to blow up the plane their gay brother was travelling on.
Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat were handed jail terms of 40 and 36 years at the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Australia on Tuesday, over their plot to bring down an Etihad Airways flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi in July 2017.
The court heard that the two brothers had concealed an improvised device, constructed out of a meat grinder, in the luggage of their unsuspecting brother Amer Khayat – who was set to be onboard the flight.
Terrorists disapproved of their gay brother
According to Justice Christine Adamson, the brothers disapproved of Amer because he is gay, “which they regarded as bringing shame on the family.”
They also objected to his drinking and gambling, the court heard.
The plan was only abandoned when Amer’s luggage was found to be overweight at Sydney airport, according to Australian Associated Press.
Amer Khayat, who was called to give evidence, spent more than two years in custody over the plot, before he was cleared of any knowing involvement in his brothers’ plan.
Amer Khayat was previously cleared of any involvement in the plot by his brothers
Speaking to reporters earlier this month, he made clear: “God he doesn’t tell us to kill our people.”
Khayat added that he still loves his brothers despite their actions, “because it’s blood, you know.”
Large number of people would have been killed
Sentencing the brothers, Justice Adamson said: “That no one suffered physical injury or was killed does not make it other than extremely serious.
“The objective seriousness was very high for each offender.”
According to ABC, Abraham said: “The conspiracy plainly envisaged that a large number of people would have been killed … no-one would have survived.
“No-one would have had time to say goodbye.”
In 2018, a teen was arrested in Frankfurt over a plot to bomb a gay club.
