Iraqi sentenced to eight years for people smuggling to Australia

Radio Australia
22 September 2004

A court in Australia's Northern Territory has sentenced an Iraqi national to eight years in jail for people smuggling offences.

The 33-year-old man smuggled about 260 people from the Middle East to Australia's Ashmore Reef, as Amanda Morgan reports.

Al Jenabi was extradited to Australia in February 2002 to face charges relating to 17 breaches of the Migration Act. He pleaded guilty to two charges. In sentencing Justice Dean Mildren said the mostly Iraqi and Iranian passengers travelled on wooden boats and paid up to three-thousand dollars each for the journey. But Justice Mildren said Al Jenabi hadn't acted solely for profit and wanted to get his family to Australia. The Federal Justice Minister Senator Chris Ellison says the sentence sends a clear message. "If you try to bring people into Australia illegally you will get caught". Outside the court defence lawyer, Jon Tippett QC, said Al Jenabi would eventually return to Iraq to work as a tailor.

22/09/2004 01:12:37 | ABC Radio Australia News

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