FIVE would-be jihadists found guilty of conspiring to plan a devastating terrorist attack in Sydney face the prospect of life behind bars - but two fellow plotters have already walked free from prison.
Two of the men pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of knowingly possessing items connected with the preparation of a terrorist act.
With time already served since their arrest in November 2005, one of the men was released on parole in May, while the other was freed on Thursday.
The men were named as co-conspirators in the 10-month trial of their five friends. None of the men can be named online.
Police yesterday revealed the $37.2 million cost of the operation, the landmark joint investigation between ASIO and Australian Federal Police that netted the terror nine in a series of co-ordinated dawn raids on November 8, 2005.
After one of the longest and most expensive criminal trials in NSW history, five men were found guilty by a jury yesterday of conspiring to do acts in preparation for a terrorist act or acts.
The men, all devout Muslims, now face possible maximum sentences of life imprisonment for entering into an agreement to wage violent jihad on Australian soil, said to have been motivated by the Howard government's military committment to US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Between them, the men also had instructional material for how to mix explosive chemicals and how to assemble and detonate bombs.
NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipioni yesterday stressed the importance of continuing to fund anti-terrorism efforts.
"I can not stress strongly enough that complacency in this sort of area is a terrorist's best friend," he said.
More than 400 NSW Police officers and 250 AFP, ASIO and NSW Crime Commission officers were attached to the counter-terrorism operation.
Outside court, the ringleader's sister criticised ASIO.
"ASIO are extreme. They go to depths. They want to get to the bottom of it. They want to find their answer," she said.
"We want to find our answers. I know my answer - my answer is I know my brother is innocent."
The nephew of the conspiracy ringleader said his uncle was innocent and said his uncle's possession of guns was to hunt deer in bushland near Goulburn.
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