British al-Qaeda plotter released

A British-born man who was convicted of plotting with al-Qaeda to blow up the Israeli Embassy in Australia has been released from prison.

Jack Roche, 53, pleaded guilty to terrorism charges in 2004.

At his trial, the court was told that Roche, who converted to Islam in the early 1990s, travelled to Afghanistan where he received explosives training with the al-Qaeda militant network and met its leader, Osama bin Laden.

Roche returned to Australia and carried out surveillance for a planned attack on the Israeli Embassy in Canberra.

He was released from a maximum security prison in the Western Australian capital of Perth after serving about half his nine-year sentence.

"I'm glad to be out. At the advice of my lawyer, I'm not going to make any further comment. Thank you," said Roche, an Australian citizen, outside his Perth home.

His lawyer Hylton Quail said he now wanted to live a quiet life.

Roche was the first person convicted under tougher Australian anti-terrorism laws introduced in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the US.

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