|
Chemical stockpiles prompted Australian raids
REPORTS a group of men were stockpiling chemicals to carry out a terrorist attack in Australia led to raids in Sydney and Melbourne, New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma said. Nine men have been charged in Melbourne with terrorism related offences and seven were being held in Sydney after a joint counter-terrorism strike in the two states this morning.An Australian Federal Police (AFP) spokesman said 23 search warrants were executed in suburbs across Sydney and Melbourne as part of a joint counter-terrorism operation by the federal, NSW , Victorian police and ASIO. "Intelligence was received that a group was making arrangements to stockpile chemicals and other materials capable of making explosives," Mr Iemma said in Sydney today. "I've been further advised that police believe the group was planning a terrorist attack in Australia." Mr Iemma said more than 360 NSW police along with 70 federal officers carried out the raids in Sydney this morning about 2.30am (AEDT). "I am advised that at least five of those arrested in Sydney are Australian citizens," he said. Mr Iemma thanked NSW police, their Victorian counterparts, the AFP and security agencies, for their efforts. "Today's events leave us in no doubt at all of the need to be vigilant and unceasing in our efforts against the threat of terrorism and that threat is real and dangerous," he said. "Our determination to fight is unrelenting." He said today's police activities were "in relation to laws that have been passed (by the Federal Government)." "(There's been) a determination on the part of governments, this government, our colleagues in Victoria and our Commonwealth colleagues to provide our law enforcement and security agencies with the security, with the resources and the laws they need in this unrelenting fight against terror." UPDATE - EFL: In a day of dramatic developments: One suspect, 28-year-old Omar Baladjam was gunned down by police outside a Sydney mosque after allegedly shooting an officer in the hand as he tried to flee A court was told the group was about to launch an attack to kill "innocent men and women in Australia". "Each of the members of the group are committed to the cause of violent jihad," prosecutor Richard Maidment QC said. The suspected mastermind was Melbourne Muslim cleric Abdul Nacer Benbrika, better known as Abu Bakr, who has previously described Osama bin Laden as a "great man". One of the Melbourne group, Ahmed Merhi, 20, was expecting his first child but dreamed of being a suicide bomber in Australia. "He wanted to die here. He said he wanted to be a martyr (for Islam). It was quite clear that he wanted to go similar to a suicide bomber," Det-Sgt Chris Murray told Melbourne Magistrates Court. Police allege the group had stockpiled hundreds of litres of the volatile chemical acetone â the same substance used in the London bombings â and was preparing to begin a campaign of terror within weeks. Police will allege the same chemical used in the London bombings in July â acetone â was being hoarded by the suspects for a similar attack in Sydney and Melbourne. Acetone is a key ingredient in common nail polish remover but becomes a deadly explosive when mixed with hydrogen peroxide (hair bleach) and sulphuric acid (drain cleaner). The explosive known as acetone peroxide was dubbed the "mother of Satan" after the London bombings in July, which killed 54 people and maimed hundreds of others. Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-11-08 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=134395 |