SYDNEY (AFP) - Five Muslim men were jailed for up to 28 years on Monday for plotting a violent attack to protest against Australias involvement in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The men from Sydney, who cannot be named, were found guilty in October of gathering firearms, chemicals and bomb-making instructions in preparation for an attack on an unknown target. There is no reason to doubt that, absent the intervention of the authorities, the plan would have come to fruition in early 2006 or thereabouts, Justice Anthony Whe-aly said in a purpose-built courthouse. The five were handed maximum terms of 23 to 28 years, with the shortest non-parole period being 17 years and three months. Four of the men are of Lebanese descent while the other is of Bangladeshi origin. New South Wales Supreme Court heard there was overwhelming evidence the men wanted to create at the very least, serious damage to property and posed a serious risk to the public.