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Cheng case relies on 2000 intercepts

The terrorism case of three men linked to the fatal shooting of Curtis Cheng will take prosecutors many months to assess thousands of telephone intercepts.

A woman looks at flower placed for police accountant Curtis Cheng
Legal proceedings for the three men linked to the shooting of Curtis Cheng look set to be delayed. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Legal proceedings for three men linked to the fatal shooting of police accountant Curtis Cheng look set to be delayed, with prosecutors saying they need more time to analyse thousands of telephone intercepts.

Talal Alameddine, 23, Raban Alou, 18, and Mustafa Dirani, 22, were charged with numerous offences, including being a known member of a terrorist organisation, after 15-year-old Farhad Jabar gunned down Mr Cheng at the NSW police headquarters in October.

Jabar was fatally shot by police at the Parramatta police headquarters.

They had been due to face committal in June, but prosecutors on Thursday requested the date be vacated so they could make transcripts of 2000 telephone conversation recordings, many of which are in foreign languages.

State prosecutor John Sfinas said the case, which will also rely on CCTV and surveillance footage, was unusually complex.

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"The brief will simply not be ready by June," he said in Parramatta Local Court.

"It's a circumstantial case. We need to... establish the links in the chain before proceeding to committal."

Alameddine and Dirani are accused of supplying the weapon used to kill Mr Cheng, while Alou is the only one to face a Commonwealth charge of committing a terrorist act.

Mr Sfinas said reviewing the large amount of evidence would allow prosecutors to decide whether the commonwealth, state or both would take control of the cases.

Alameddine appeared in court via video link to watch his lawyer enter a plea of not guilty to an unrelated weapons charge.

The man spoke only to acknowledge the magistrate but attempted to communicate with loved ones using signals, which seemed to depict hugs, telephone calls and rocking a baby.

The court heard he is expected to be charged with another weapons charge at a later date.

Magistrate Timothy Keady allowed the matters relating to Mr Cheng to be moved to Central Local Court, where they will next be mentioned in June.

Alameddine's unrelated charges for weapons and cannabis possession will return to court in May.


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