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By Sihle Mlambo 
8h ago
Johannesburg – Two members of a right-wing group have been sentenced to eight years behind bars at the Middelburg Regional Court after they planned to stage terror attacks on shopping malls during the Black Friday frenzy in November last year.
The terrorists, brothers Eric Donald Abrahams, 55, and Errol Abrahams, 50, were members of the right-wing Crusaders organization.
The Hawks said members of the Crimes Against the State section arrested them in Klipriver, Gauteng, on November 28 and 29.
They were found guilty on charges of violating the Law for the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorism and Related Matters (Pocdatara) by planning to launch terrorist attacks against government buildings and black people.
Hawks spokesman Colonel Katlego Mogale said they conspired to “overthrow the democratically elected government of South Africa and replace it with a government led by the organization.”
“This objective would be achieved by carrying out attacks against military and police installations, as well as informal settlements occupied by Africans.”
The two, who were convicted of preparing and planning terrorist attacks, were sentenced to 15 years in prison, of which seven were suspended for five years.
They were also sentenced to five years in prison for various other offenses, including financing the plot and illegally possessing prohibited firearms, ammunition, and more than 200 cartridges.
The sentences will run simultaneously, which means they will serve 8 years in prison.
Mogale said the court declared them unfit to possess firearms, ammunition, certificates of competence, licenses, authorizations and permits.
Hawks chief Lt. Gen. Godfrey Lebeya applauded investigators and prosecutors for securing sentencing.
Meanwhile, Mogale said the case against Harry Knoesen, who was touted as the group’s leader, will begin in February. He has pleaded not guilty to similar charges.
The Hawks received information that Knoesen and his Crusaders were about to launch a campaign of terror targeting shopping malls and informal settlements.
He was arrested and charged with terrorism after discovering a bomb factory in one of his residences.
MESS
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