First extradited people smuggler pleads guilty

SMH
13 September 2004 - 1:04PM

The first man extradited to Australia to face people smuggling charges has pleaded guilty in a Darwin Court.

Iraqi national Ali Hassan Abdolamir Al Jenabi, 32, pleaded guilty to two charges of bringing a boat of five or more people to Australia in 2000 and 2001.

The plea came midway through a trial in the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

Fourteen other charges were withdrawn, although one will be taken into account when Al Jenabi is sentenced.

The plea, made last week, brought an early end to the lengthy trial, which had heard from 19 witnesses over six weeks, and had expected to hear from dozens more.

The court had heard Al Jenabi was a key figure in bringing the boatloads of hundreds of asylum seekers from Indonesia to Ashmore Reef in 2000 and 2001.

The court will hear submissions on his sentence on Wednesday.

AAP

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