In a series of questions the Federal Opposition attacked Mr McClelland for applauding Monday's convictions of six men as terrorists, including leader and self-styled Muslim cleric Abdul Nacer Benbrika, while the trial jury was still deliberating on charges relating to two other men.

Trial judge Bernard Bongiorno criticised Mr McClelland on Tuesday for speaking about the trial outcome while the proceedings were still under way.

The judge said, ''It is abundantly clear it would have been to the enhancement of justice in this country if these comments had not been made They were unnecessary and had the potential to cause difficulties in this trial.''

But Mr Rudd maintained that Mr McClelland had done nothing wrong.

''His comments were not directed at matters that were still before the courts,'' Mr Rudd told Parliament.

''We take a hard line [on terrorism]: we make no apologies for it.'' Mr McClelland read part of the transcript of his statement, emphasising he had not commented on ''detail relating to'' matters still before the court.

''We certainly appreciate the work of the court'', the Attorney-General told Parliament.

''As I indicated in my comments on Monday ... I appreciated and I recognised ... that my comments were not directed at matters still before the court.''

A solicitor for six of the defendants, Rob Stary, and barrister Greg Barns called on the Government yesterday to apologise for the treatment of the defendants and specifically for the Attorney-General's comments before all the verdicts were handed down.

Shadow attorney-general Senator George Brandis condemned what he called Mr McClelland's ''reckless comments''.

He suggested that they could provide grounds for an appeal by the defendants, and accused Mr McClelland of committing a serious breach of his duties.