HAWKS officers who raided the Thulsie twins’ homes in Florida and Newclare earlier this month expected to find a suicide vest in one of the houses.
Instead, all they found were 10 cellphones, several SIM cards, electronic equipment, an Okapi knife, and handwritten notes and documents, court papers have revealed.
Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie, also known as Salahuddin and Yaqeen ibn Hernani, are facing three counts of terrorism-related charges, which fall under schedule 6 offences and carry a heavier sentence than schedule 5 offences.
For bail to be granted, the 23-year-old brothers have to prove exceptional circumstances, and as their bail hearing in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court continued yesterday, they claimed they were wrongfully arrested and that there was no legal basis for their detainment.
Their lawyer, advocate Annelene van den Heever, used this as her reasoning for exceptional circumstances.
Magistrate Pieter du Plessis, however, argued that this matter and the bail application were separate matters.
Prosecutor Chris MacAdam then asked for an adjournment to decide how to proceed next.
Just after 2pm yesterday, the court reconvened for a short period and the case was postponed to tomorrow for the State to consult with police and respond to the twins’ claim that they were unlawfully arrested.
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