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ABC News
ABC News
National
Jamelle Wells

Father of IS fighter jailed over bribing Iraqi minister

Ibrahim Elomar and Mamdouh Elomar pled guilty to bribing an official to win contracts for their company.

Three Sydney men including the father of an IS fighter have been jailed for bribing an Iraqi official to get overseas construction contracts.

Between 2014 and 2015, Mamdouh Elomar, his brother Ibrahim Elomar, 61, and businessman John Jousif, 48, plotted to pay the Iraqi Minister for Industry and Minerals $US1 million ($1.27 million) to try to win contracts for major projects.

The trio were each jailed for four years, with a non-parole period of two years.

The men were charged after their phone calls and emails were intercepted.

Mamdouh Elomar, 63, is the father of Mohamed Elomar, who was killed in Iraq fighting for IS — but there is no suggestion the charges are linked to his son's association with the terrorist organisation.

In the NSW Supreme Court, Justice Christine Adamson said the men engaged in a conspiracy and knew what they were doing.

She said after Mamdouh and Ibrahim Elomar's company Lifese Pty Ltd had a downturn in business, they were receptive when Jousif approached them about securing business in Iraq.

She said the Elomars financed the bribe and that Jousif transferred the money.

The judge said the three men gave "deliberate and strategic thought" to how to transfer the money so it would not be detected by Australian authorities.

The court heard Jousif said to the Elomars: "There is no risk, honest to God."

'They were seasoned, successful businessmen'

Justice Adamson said the brothers acted out of greed and, although they were manipulated, they were not coerced.

"They were seasoned, successful businessmen," the judge said.

Justice Adamson said bribery of government officials could never be excused, and although the men all pleaded guilty, that did not mean they were remorseful.

One of the projects in question was a waste management facility in Baghdad worth $571 million.

Justice Adamson said Ibrahim Elomar, who has seven children, had no prior criminal record and had been a successful businessman with a good reputation in the community.

The court heard Jousif had good prospects of rehabilitation.

The Elomar brothers have also each been fined $250,000.

The three men sat together in the dock with an interpreter and showed no emotion during the judgment.

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