SYDNEY – Four Australians with almost no seafaring experience were jailed Friday for hatching a “foredoomed” plot to sail a boat to the southern Philippines and overthrow the local government. ADVERTISEMENTDespite having almost zero sailing experience, the “Tinnie Terrorists”, as the Australian media have dubbed them, planned to reach the southern Philippines and join up with Muslim separatists. “The whole venture was poorly planned and, I fear, foredoomed to failure,” Justice Michael Croucher wrote in his judgment. In handing down his sentence in Melbourne, Justice Croucher said the four men would not have been involved in the plot if not for the “charismatic and persuasive Mr Cerantonio”. Canberra has been increasingly concerned by homegrown extremism and citizens fighting with jihadist organizations abroad such as Islamic State.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer February 22, 2019 09:45 UTC