Annelene van den Heever, the former lawyer of Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir, is representing the twin brothers from Gauteng who are facing charges of terrorism.
The fiery lawyer arrived in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday before proceedings began and shook hands with the two men’s relatives seated in the front row of the court gallery.
Van den Heever told reporters that she had always been part of the men’s legal team.
The brothers, Brandon-Lee and Tony-Lee Thulsie, were expected to apply for bail.
They face three counts of contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act.
According to the charge sheet, the twins allegedly planned to set off explosives at a US embassy and “Jewish institutions” in South Africa.
Tight security
The charge sheet said the brothers also allegedly tried to leave the country to join the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria in April 2015.
Security was once again tight ahead of the proceedings on Monday.
Heavily armed police officers stood in the passage outside the courtroom. The passage was cordoned off with red and white tape.
Journalists were required to register their names and produce their identity documents and press cards before being allowed into the court.
The case was expected to be heard shortly. – News24