SYDNEY - Australian counter-terrorist forces shot and seriously wounded a suspected extremist wearing a backpack during raids in Sydney early on Tuesday, police said. New South Wales state police said the man was walking near a mosque in the Sydney suburb of Green Valley mid-morning when officers who had him under surveillance ordered him to stop.
A police spokesman said the man fired a number of shots at police, who returned fire and shot him in the neck. | Most likely trying for a head shot. |
The man was taken to hospital, where he is in a serious condition. | I hope it's extremely painful |
A bomb squad robot was called in to examine the contents of the backpack and found it contained a second handgun, police said. The suspect, in his 20s, underwent surgery and was in a stable condition under police guard in hospital. Police said the man would be charged with unspecified offences. | Shooting at cops, unlicensed handgun, backpacking without a permit |
Sixteen other suspected militants were charged in court earlier on Tuesday with planning a terrorist attack or membership of a âterrorist organisationâ after a series of pre-dawn raids by counter-terrorism forces in Australiaâs two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne.
âFour officers from Green Valley police station attended Wilson Road, saw the man that was of interest and as they did, he saw them,â said New South Wales Assistant Police Commissioner Graeme Morgan. âWitnesses have told police that he produced a firearm and fired at the police.â
| "You'll never take me alive, coppers!" |
The man fired twice, with one bullet grazing an officerâs hand before a colleague fired back, police alleged. | That's at least a attempted murder charge |
âOne of the police officers returned fire and the person of interest to police was wounded in the neck,â Morgan said. |