Brother of Bourke Street terrorist, 22, admits plotting a New Year's Eve mass shooting in Melbourne's Federation Square to 'advance the cause of Islam' Brother of the Bourke St attacker planned mass shooting at Federation Square He aimed to 'advance the Islamic cause through violence' on New Years Eve 2017 Federation Square is a popular Melbourne spot for revellers to watch fireworks His brother Hassan killed a cafe owner and set his car on fire in November 2018 By Shive Prema For Daily Mail Australia and Australian Associated Press Published: 11:17 BST, 15 May 2019 | Updated: 11:30 BST, 15 May 2019 The brother of a terrorist who stabbed a cafe owner to death has himself pleaded guilty to planning a mass shooting to 'advance the cause of Islam'. Somali-Australian Ali Khalif Shire Ali, 22, admitted trying to get a firearm and ammunition in a plot to attack Melbourne's Federation Square, a popular public place, on New Year's Eve in 2017. The Victorian Supreme Court on Wednesday heard Ali planned the attack to 'advance the cause of Islam through violence', ABC News reported. Ali Khalif Shire Ali (pictured), 22, tried to get a firearm and ammunition in a plot to attack Melbourne's Federation Square on New Years Eve in 2017 Ali is the younger brother of 30-year-old Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, who fatally stabbed Pellegrini's Espresso Bar owner Sisto Malaspina, 74, in November last year. The killer was shot at the scene by police and later died in hospital. The younger sibling had previously denied his terror charge in a committal hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court. He had been subjected to a lengthy police investigation, with a phone tap in place from October 2016 until his arrest, the court was told at the committal hearing. Ali was also subject to physical surveillance and his spending activity was tracked. He has been in custody since November 2017, when police arrested him at a Werribee shopping strip. It was alleged he attempted to buy a gun for the attack, was described as an 'ISIL sympathiser' and allegedly accessed an al-Qaeda guidebook with information on how to commit a terrorist act and use firearms. Police at the time said the human cost of the plot would have been 'catastrophic ... horrendous'. Ali's brother Hassan Khalif Shire Ali (pictured), 30, was shot dead by police after setting his car on fire and stabbing a 74-year-old café owner to death on November 9, 2018 Federation Square, opposite Flinders Street Station, is popular spot to watch the New Years fireworks on the Yarra River (pictured is New Years Eve at Federation Square in 2013) It is not the first time Federation Square has been the target of terrorism plots. In November last year, Ibrahim Abbas was jailed for 24 years after admitting he planned a terror attack on Federation Square, Flinders Street Station and St Paul's Cathedral for Christmas Day 2016. His co-conspirators Hamza Abbas, Abdullah Chaarani and Ahmed Mohamed are yet to be sentenced after being found guilty by a Supreme Court jury. The plot was foiled just days before the attack by police who had been listening to their preparations and watching as they carried out reconnaissance at Federation Square. A pre-sentence plea hearing for Ali has been set down for August 23. Legendary cafe owner Sisto Malaspina, 74, ran to help Hassan thinking he was a car crash victim but stabbed to death in the Bourke Street (pictured) attack Read more: Share or comment on this article: Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility