An Australian woman who converted to Islam has been charged with plotting to bomb Sydney. (Hat tip: Jihad Watch.)

A woman charged at the weekend with plotting to bomb Sydney was a convert to Islam who planned the attack at the behest of a jailed murderer angered over anti-Muslim race riots here late last year.

Jill Courtney, 26, was arrested at her suburban Sydney home on Friday in a swoop by Federal and local police operating under anti-terrorism laws. She was charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosives to be placed in or near a public place.

The court granted a request by Courtney’s lawyer that the woman be assessed by a psychiatrist.

Police were not required to detail the allegations against Courtney during a brief court hearing yesterday, but Sunday newspapers quoted police sources saying they believed she was acting out of love for a jailed murderer, Hassan Kalache.

Kalache, 28, is serving a 22-year sentence for killing a rival drug dealer in 2002 and allegedly told Courtney he was angry over race riots in Sydney last December and that he would marry her if she carried out a retaliatory bombing.

A police detective said Courtney converted to Islam after becoming “besotted” with Kalache. “It’s a pretty sad case, she’s a bit of a candle in the wind,” he was quoted as saying.