Wife of terrorist recruiter sentenced over disrespect

THE wife of a terrorist recruiter yesterday became the first person in NSW to be sentenced for failing to stand for a court judge – receiving 75 hours community service.

Moutia Elzahed, 50, was found guilty of nine counts of disrespectful behaviour in May.

Elzahed failed to rise nine times in court while she was trying to sue the state and federal governments in 2016 over police violence and wrongful imprisonment during raids on her Western Sydney home.

Each offence carries a maxiBefore mum jail term of 14 days or an $1100 fine.

Yesterday, Magistrate Carolyn Huntsman sentenced her to 75 hours community service.

Elzahed (pictured) did not stand after the sentence was handed down.

the sentence was handed down, Barrister David Hume told the court his client had received death threats and abuse due to the publicity her case had generated.

“There has been extensive online abuse to my client,” he said, adding she had been called language like “maggot”, “slag”, “grub”, “cow”, “it”, “thing” and “scum”.

Elzahed gave the Islamic State salute outside court earlier this year after becoming the first person in NSW to be found guilty of refusing to stand for a court judge.