The Citizen
Twin brothers Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie have been jailed for eight and 11 years respectively after pleading guilty to terrorism-related charges in the Gauteng High Court.
The brothers were sentenced on Tuesday, a day after announcing their guilty plea in terms of an agreement with the State.
"The time spent by the accused in custody awaiting trial, from the date of their arrest in 2016, will be considered as time served," said Hawks national spokesperson Katlego Mogale,
Brandon-Lee is thus expected to serve another two years while Tony-Lee will serve another five years behind bars.
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 within South Africa.
"Both accused attempted to leave South Africa to join the jihadist terrorist group, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The investigation also revealed that the twins conspired with a man known as Abu Harb to perform terrorist acts in South Africa," said Colonel Mogale.
Both accused were sentenced to five years imprisonment for attempting to leave South Africa to join ISIL in Syria.
Tony-Lee was further sentenced to six years imprisonment for conspiring with Abu Harb whereas Brandon-Lee was also sentenced to three years imprisonment for possession of a document connected to terrorist activities, the Mujahid guide.
