A 21-year-old Australian man has been sentenced to four years in a Bulgarian prison for planning to commit an act of terrorism.

Sofia’s Special Criminal Court on Monday found John “Ivan” Zahariev, a dual Australian-Bulgarian citizen, guilty of training as a terrorist with the intention of carrying out a terrorist act.

Zahariev had a Christian upbringing in Australia, but later converted to Islam.

He has been in custody since September, when he was arrested for training at shooting ranges in Bulgaria with the alleged intention of going to Syria to join jihadi groups.

Zahariev denied the charges. After the verdict, he said he had been subjected to a show trial and that no evidence connected him to the Islamic State group.

Zahariev says he will discuss with his lawyer whether it is worth appealing the verdict, although he thought it would be a waste of time.

“What’s the point of going to another show court and enduring another show trial,” he told reporters in the court room.

– AP