MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th November, 2020) The Supreme Court of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria has sentenced far-right extremist Phillip Galea, who has been accused of plotting terrorist attacks against Muslims and left-wing targets, to 12 years in prison, media reported on Friday.
Judge Elizabeth Hollingworth said during the hearing that Galea's plans to attack the Victoria Trade Hall and the Melbourne Anarchist Club were amateurish and could hardly end with success, according to the Australian ABC news channel.
"You're not being punished for holding radical right-wing views ... you're being punished for the violent means you contemplated," the judge said.
The extremist wanted to attack these targets due to the fact that they are associated with left-wing politics, as broadcast by the channel.
Galea also wrote a manual called the Patriots Cookbook that was likely to facilitate a terrorist act. The judge rejected the extremist's allegations that the terrorist guide was satirical.
"You intended it would incite other right-wing extremists to join your cause," the judge said.
The channel notes that 36-year-old Galea has been in custody for just over four years, convicted of planning attacks on left-wing targets in Victoria in 2016. He will be eligible for parole in about five years, before the end of his 12-year sentence.
