Police say the overnight arrest of three Melbourne men has disrupted the activity of a group with links to terrorist organisations overseas. A 21-year-old Coburg man, a 25-year-old from Brunswick and a 26-year-old from Hadfield have been charged with belonging to and providing funds to a terrorist organisation. They were arrested after a series of raids conducted last night by ASIO and Federal, Victorian and New South Wales police in north Melbourne.The Australian Federal Police's Assistant Commissioner for Counter Terrorism, Frank Prendergast, says the arrests relate to the November raids in Sydney and Melbourne. "We believe that what we've done is disrupt a significant threat to the community," he said. "The specifics of those threats will come out during the court processes and we need to be careful in this situation not to say anything that will impinge on the court process."
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon says the men have made no reference to a specific target for an attack. The ABC understands the men have been charged under tough new laws that prevent anyone associating with alleged terrorist groups. They are believed to be devotees of Islamic cleric Nacer Benbrika.
The suspects' lawyer Rob Stary says the men belong to the same prayer group as 10 others facing court on terror offences. "This is an operation that's gone on now for nearly two years," he said. "[They have] been identified previously and it's curious, the timing of their arrest. They were arrested some time after five-thirty, co-incidentally at the same time that the Melbourne 10 appeared in court all on the same day after a committal mention hearing."
The men were arrested as part of Operation Pendennis. The two older men have also been charged with supporting a terrorist organisation. Two of the charges carry a maximum penalty of 25 years' prison.