Australian 'never planned' to join terrorists

Jack Thomas, the first person to be convicted under Australia's new terrorism laws, has told ABC TV's Four Corners program that he never planned to take part in terrorism.

In an exclusive interview, the man dubbed "Jihad Jack" says top Al Qaeda operatives asked him to work for the terrorist organisation in Australia but he declined.

Yesterday, the Victorian Supreme Court found the 32-year-old from Werribee guilty of receiving funds from Al Qaeda and of falsifying his passport.

Thomas, who is in custody awaiting sentencing, says he did not think he was committing a crime by accepting a plane ticket home to Australia.

"I didn't feel that I had committed any crimes apart from changing my passport," he said.

"All I wanted to do was get home."

Thomas also says he was in disbelief when a senior Al Qaeda member asked him to carry out terrorist acts in Australia

"I knew of a man called Osama Bin Laden but I honestly had no idea about Al Qaeda or had any intentions about working, what they call working or conducting any terrorist attacks against the population," he said.

He says he declined the offer.

Thomas faces up to 25 years in jail and will be sentenced on Thursday.

- RADIO AUSTRALIA