Terrorist twins jailed
CONVICTED: Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie
After almost six years behind bars, the Thulsie twins have finally been convicted and sentenced after entering into a plea bargain agreement with the State.
Their conviction in the Johannesburg High Court this week marked the first conviction in South Africa for international terrorism under the 2004 Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act, reports eNCA.
On Monday the twins, who were arrested back in 2016, pleaded guilty to trying to leave South Africa to join the Islamic State in Syria.
Brandon-Lee Thulsie has been sentenced to eight years in prison while his twin brother Tony-Lee will serve 11 years behind bars.
The Hawks’ Crimes Against the State division investigated the twins.
The twins were arrested in 2016 in a multi-disciplinary operation on the West Rand on allegations of planning attacks on the US Embassy, the UK High Commission and Jewish institutions in South Africa.
Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the investigation also revealed that the twins conspired with a man known as Abu Harb to perform terrorist acts in South Africa.
“One of the accused, Brandon-Lee, was also found with a document connected to terrorist activities, a Mujahid guide,” she said.
Both brothers were sentenced to five years in jail for attempting to leave South Africa to join ISIS in Syria.
Tony-Lee was further sentenced to six years for conspiring with Abu Harb and Brandon-Lee was also sentenced to three years for possession of the Mujahid guide.
The five years and seven months the twins have already served will count towards the time served.