Australia jails Iraqi boat people smuggler

An Australian court has sentenced an Iraqi man to eight years in prison after he pleaded guilty to two charges of illegally shipping more than 250 asylum seekers to Australia between 2000 and 2001.

Ali Hassan Abdolamir Al Jenabi, 33, was not primarily motivated by money but by his desire to bring his family to Australia, Northern Territory Supreme Court Justice Dean Mildren said.

Al Jenabi had faced a maximum sentence of 20 years for each charge.