| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Down Under | |
| Men arrested in Melbourne over suicide attack plot | |
| 2009-08-04 | |
AFP Acting Commissioner Tony Negus said authorities would allege the men were "planning to carry out a suicide terror attack involving an armed assault with automatic weapons ... a sustained attack on military personnel until they themselves were killed". "We've disrupted an alleged terror attack that could have claimed many lives." Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has said today's raids show "the threat of terrorism is alive and well and this requires continued vigilance". The Australian newspaper reported the plot centred on the Holsworthy Army base in western Sydney. The investigation of the group, dubbed Operation Neath, involved about 150 members of the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and ASIO. It was launched in late January after authorities intercepted a phone call from one suspect wanting help to fight in Somalia, according to The Australian. The men arrested are Australian nationals of Somali and Lebanese background. Most are labourers employed in Melbourne's construction industry or taxi drivers. It has been reported that the alleged cell had about 18 members, with a hardcore centre. It was not immediately clear when the alleged attack was planned to have taken place. Victoria Police chief commissioner Simon Overland said more details would emerge when the men faced court. But authorities believe the group was at an advanced stage of planning the alleged attack, which was conceived as punishment for Australia's military involvement in Muslim countries. Members of the group have been observed reportedly carrying out surveillance of Holsworthy Barracks and other suspicious activity around Defence bases in Victoria. Holsworthy is home to some of Australia's elite counter-terrorism troops. Electronic surveillance on the suspects is believed to have picked up discussions about ways to obtain weapons to carry out what would be the worst terror attack on Australian soil. The alleged cell was inspired by the Somalia-based terrorist movement al-Shabaab, which is trying to overthrow the Somali government and replace it with an extreme brand of Islam. Two Melbourne men, both Somalis, have travelled to Somalia in recent months to obtain training with the extremist organisation, which is aligned with al-Qaeda, The Australian reported. One of those men had already returned to Melbourne and is believed to have been among those arrested today. The other was still in Somalia. Acting Commissioner Tony Negus said alleged members of the group had been seeking a fatwa to justify a terrorist attack in Australia. It is understood that several members of the group wanted to travel to Somalia to fight with al-Shabaab, but when travel became difficult, they turned their attention to home. Al-Shabaab is currently searching for jihadist recruits around the world, including in Australia. Authorities fear that Australian Muslims who travel to Somalia to fight for al-Shabaab could return to Australia as sleeper agents for future attacks in this country. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #2 Ah yes, that famous Digger sense of humour. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-08-04 22:49 |
| #1 It has already been suggested but maybe the authorities should have just quietly let the Army know where and when this was going to happen. The boys and girls could have had a convenient anti -terrorist exercise scheduled. Outcome - dead terrorists and a satisfying live fire exercise for the Army. |
| Posted by: Aussie Mike 2009-08-04 04:33 |