Osama bin Laden's Australian right hand man who produced a terrorist handbook on how to shoot down planes makes failed bid for freedom - but could be released in just 12 months
- Bilal Khazal was sentenced to 12 years jail for writing a terrorist instruction book
- Khazal went to Afghanistan, received terrorist training and befriended bin Laden
- He was arrested in 2008 but is eligible for parole and could be released in a year
Osama bin Laden's Australian ally who created a terrorist handbook that provided assassination techniques and detailed how to effectively shoot down a plane has made a failed bid for freedom.
Bilal Khazal, who previously worked as a Qantas baggage handler, was sentenced to 12 years jail in 2008 for producing a manual designed to instruct terrorists about the ways to fight the 'infidels.'
Khazal, from the south western Sydney suburb of Lakemba, has already served his minimum non-parole period of nine years in the Goulburn Supermax jail.
But Federal Attorney General Christian Porter believes Khazal still poses a threat to Australia, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Bilal Khazal (pictured), who previously worked as a Qantas baggage handler, was sentenced to 12 years jail in 2008 for producing a manual designed to instruct terrorists about the ways to fight the 'infidels'
Khazal first came to the attention of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation in 1994 when he was stabbed outside of a Lakemba mosque in 1994.
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Khazal travelled to Afghanistan where he received terrorist training and befriended Osama bin Laden.
This friendship allowed Khazal to established a strong list of contacts within the al Qaeda terrorist network.
Khazal, from the southwestern Sydney suburb of Lakemba, has already served his minimum non-parole period of nine years in the Goulburn Supermax jail and could be released in one year (pictured Osama bin Laden, who Khazal befriended in Afghanistan)
Khazal was identified by the CIA after the 9/11 terror attacks as bin Laden's main contact in Australia.
He was arrested in 2004 for creating a document that detailed how to execute terrorist activities.
The book provided terrorists with instructions about how to shoot down planes, strike motorcades and assassinate high-ranking Australian, British and American government officials.
It also described the best methods to kill people including sniper attacks, letter bombs and remote detonation devices.
Khazal's terrorist instruction manual was published on a website endorsed by al Qaeda.
But Christian Porter, the Federal Attorney General, believes Khazal still poses a threat to Australia which could extend his time behind bars.
A spokesperson for the Attorney-General's Department said: 'Each parole decision involves weighing the risks of the prisoner re-offending or endangering community safety against the benefits for the prisoner in being allowed to reintegrate into the community under parole supervision.'
'In this case, the Attorney-General was not satisfied Mr Khazal does not present an unacceptable risk to community safety.
'The Attorney-General will reconsider Mr Khazal for release on parole by July 2020.'
Khazal will be eligible for parole every year until his sentence finishes in 2021.
But if he poses too much of a risk to public safety, the government can keep him behind bars.
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