Ahmad Rashad Nadir accused of using a carriage service to menace but says footage was recorded without permissionFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKey evidence allegedly showing two former nurses discussing killing Israeli patients will face a legal challenge, threatening their prosecution.Sarah Abu Lebdeh and Ahmad Rashad Nadir sparked outrage after a video posted on social media by an Israeli social media personality, Max Veifer, showed them saying they would refuse to treat Israelis and kill them instead.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading…Ahmad Rashad Nadir accused of using a carriage service to menace but says footage was recorded without permissionFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKey evidence allegedly showing two former nurses discussing killing Israeli patients will face a legal challenge, threatening their prosecution.Sarah Abu Lebdeh and Ahmad Rashad Nadir sparked outrage after a video posted on social media by an Israeli social media personality, Max Veifer, showed them saying they would refuse to treat Israelis and kill them instead.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading…
Key evidence allegedly showing two former nurses discussing killing Israeli patients will face a legal challenge, threatening their prosecution.
Sarah Abu Lebdeh and Ahmad Rashad Nadir sparked outrage after a video posted on social media by an Israeli social media personality, Max Veifer, showed them saying they would refuse to treat Israelis and kill them instead.
The pair were working at south-west Sydney’s Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital in February when they made the alleged threats captured in the video of their conversation via the online platform Chatruletka.
After Veifer shared the video on social media, the duo’s comments drew widespread condemnation, including from the prime minister and the New South Wales premier.
The pair faced court for the first time on Wednesday, when Abu Lebdeh arrived surrounded by half a dozen black-clad supporters to keep media away. Nadir arrived shortly after.
Neither spoke during their brief appearance in court before a magistrate adjourned both cases until May.
Nadir’s lawyer later told reporters he planned to apply to have the video tossed out of the evidence brief.
“The video … was recorded without his knowledge,” Zemarai Khatiz said outside Sydney’s Downing Centre local court. “We will apply to have it excluded.”
If the application is successful, it would leave prosecutors with little other evidence to rely on in their cases against the nurses.
Abu Lebdeh has been charged with threatening violence to a group, using a carriage service to threaten to kill and using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence. The 26-year-old has been on bail with conditions prohibiting her from leaving Australia or using social media.
Nadir was hospitalised amid the fallout from the video emerging but was charged this month with using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence and possession of a prohibited drug. The 27-year-old previously apologised through his lawyer for his comments in the video.
Australia’s health practitioner watchdog has barred the duo from working as nurses and their registrations have been suspended by the NSW Nursing and Midwifery Council.