Lodhi was the first convicted Australian terrorist under amendments made to the Commonwealth's Criminal Code Act 1995, in May 2003.
[2] On 26 October 2003, following an investigation by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, police and ASIO raided Lodhi's Lakemba home and workplace and discovered evidence of a terrorist plot.
[3][4] He was accused of plotting to bomb the national electricity grid and/or Sydney defence sites in the cause of violent jihad.
[3] During his trial, the court was told he and Willie Brigitte, who was deported in October 2003 for breaching his tourist visa, trained in Pakistan with Lashkar-e-Toiba and had contact using mobile phones registered under false names.
At the ruling, Justice Anthony Wheally commented that Lodhi had "the intent of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause, namely violent jihad" and to "instil terror into members of the public so that they could never again feel free from the threat of bombing in Australia".