A notorious South African terrorist leader has been handed down two life terms and additional 21 years imprisonment for planning attacks in South Africa.
Hawks National Head, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya has expressed his satisfaction with the sentence meted out on Harry Johannes Knoesen.
Knoesen (64) was sentenced in the Middelburg High Court on Tuesday, 27 September.
In June this year, he was found guilty of contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism and Related Matters Act (POCDATARA), incitement to carry out terrorist attacks in South Africa, recruiting people to carry out terrorist attacks and the unlawful possession of firearms as well as unlawful possession of ammunition.
Knoesen who is the leader of the National Christian Resistance Movement also known as ‘Crusaders’ was arrested in November 2019 after an intensive investigation by the team of Hawks’ Crimes Against The State into his terrorist plot.
Knoesen prepared and planned to carry out terrorist attacks on the government by overthrowing the democratically elected government, targeting the national key points, and attacking the military and police installations as well as informal settlements occupied by African people.
The court heard that the “insurrection” (or coup d’état) was plotted between December 2018 and 28 November 2019.
Knoesen also reportedly had cells across South Africa ready to carry out attacks on national key points and kill as many black people as possible.
He attempted to appeal the sentence but his leave to appeal was denied.
Knoesen represented himself during his trial.
His co-accused, brothers Donald, 57, and Erroll Abrahams, 52, are already serving their sentences, after pleading guilty in December 2020.
They were sentenced to 15 years for preparing and planning to carry out terrorist attacks.
The Abrahams brothers also received five-year sentences for financing terrorism, unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition, and unlawful possession of more than 200 cartridges.
