By tbitm2 - 23 Dec 2016 11:57 AM
Victoria Police say they have foiled an ISIS inspired terror attack on Christmas Day in the heart of Melbourne.
Terror plotters allegedly planned to attack Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station, Federation Square and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Heavily armed police raided homes across Melbourne’s north on Friday morning and made seven arrests.
Five men aged between 21 and 26 were arrested across Gladstone Park, Flemington, Campbellfield, Meadow Heights, and Dallas. Four of them were born in Australia and are of Lebanese background, while a fifth is an Egyptian-born Australian citizen.
Two people were also arrested and released without charge, a 20-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man, both from Meadow Heights. The raids involved about 400 officers.
‘Plotters inspired by ISIS ’
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Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said police had been watching the alleged plotters for some time, and believed they were preparing a multi-mode attack.
“Over that last fortnight that has accelerated,” Mr Ashton told reporters on Friday.
“If this had got under our guard it would have been a significant attack,” he said.
He said the alleged would-be terrorists were inspired by ISIS.
“These are self-radicalised ... (but they were) inspired by ISIS and ISIS propaganda”.
Police believed the threat had been neutralised through the raids. “In relation to this particular plot we think we’ve got everyone who was involved,” Mr Ashton said.
Mr Ashton said police believe the plotters planned to use an explosion and other weapons in the attack.
“We believe it was certainly going to involve an explosive event,” Mr Ashton said.
Mr Ashton said police had gathered evidence in the raids that the plotters were planning to use explosives in their attack.
“We gathered the makings of an improvised explosive device,” Mr Ashton said.
“(There was) certainly potential for quite a number of people to be injured or killed in this attack.”
‘One of most substantial terror plots’
Malcolm Turnbull said the planned Christmas Day attack was “one of the most substantial terrorist plots” to have been disrupted in the last several years.
The Prime Minister acknowledged news of the plot would be “of great concern to all Australians” but declared “we must not be cowed by the terrorists”.
He said the attackers had planned to explode improvised explosive devices in the central Melbourne area, including at Federation Square “on or about Christmas Day”.
“We are approaching the Christmas season, a time when we come together in peace and love with our families. We congregate in public places for Christmas, for New Year’s Eve. It is a time of happiness and joy,” Mr Turnbull said.
“These terrorists sought to disrupt it. They have been thwarted. They are in custody. They are no longer a threat to Australians’ security.”
Mr Turnbull said Australian police and intelligence agencies were “at the highest state of alert” and learned from every terrorism-related incident on home soil and overseas.
“Just as we should defy the terrorists by going about our lives in the normal way, we should also be alert ourselves and if we see something that is of concern or hear something that is of concern, that could be relevant to national security, to counter-terrorism, we should call the national security hotline 1800 123 400. Speak up,” he said.
‘An act of evil, not faith’
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews condemned the planned attacks and said they were not acts of faith: “What was being planned was not an act of faith, was not an act of religious observance, it was instead in its planning, an act of evil, a criminal act”.
He said they were “crimes, nothing more, nothing less” but advised people to go about their business safe in the knowledge that Victoria Police is protecting them.
Mr Ashton said the police presence at major events over the holiday season would be increased, including the Boxing Day test.
Threat removed ‘in its entirety’
Australian Federal Police commissioner Andrew Colvin said authorities believed they had “removed the bulk of this particular cell”, which had been self-radicalised and inspired by Islamic State or Daesh.
He said this event had concerned him “more than any other” over the past few years.
“They had moved very quickly from an intention to a capability and developed capability, including quite progressed plans, we will allege,” Mr Colvin said.
“We’ve heard about Federation Square, we’ve heard about the Flinders Street train station and St Paul’s Cathedral. We believe that they were narrowing down exactly what their plan was, but that’s all in one very small part of Melbourne’s CBD.”
Mr Colvin said Australians should expect an enhanced police presence across the country that would be “noticeable” but not “intrusive”.
“I’ve spoken to a number of my police commissioner colleagues in the last few days, and there’s been a range of meetings with senior officials to make sure we’re aware of each other’s activities. Obviously each event around the country requires different security detail and overlay,” he said.
Mr Colvin said the threat posed by this group to Victoria and the broader Australian community had been removed “in its entirety”.
“This is a significant disruption of what we would describe as an imminent terrorist event in Melbourne, Victoria,” he said.
“Community safety will always be the number one priority for our law enforcement agencies and we’ve acted as soon as possible with the best evidence and the best material and the best intelligence available to us to make sure that community safety was being protected.”
Mr Colvin said there were “obvious” public events over the next week that police were concentrating on but would not devolve other security concerns.
“We have very well-tried and tested plans in this country. You’ve heard Chief Commissioner Ashton already talk about the carols, he’s talked about the Boxing Day test, and obviously New Year’s Eve is a big focus as well. Expect to see police, but please, get about doing your business, be assured of your security,” he said.
The threat centred on Flinders St Station (pictured) Federation Square, and St Paul’s Cathedral.
The threat centred on Flinders St Station (pictured) Federation Square, and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Intelligence agencies ‘excellent’
Justice Minister Michael Keenan said the disruption of what would have been a “horrendous attack” that could have caused “very significant casualties” showed the “excellence” of Australia’s police and intelligence agencies.
“Australia is currently living through the most difficult security environment in our history. Since the middle of 2014, we’ve had four terror attacks on our soil and the events in Melbourne overnight is the 12th disruption that our agencies have had in the past two-and-a-half years,” Mr Keenan said.
“But this disruption is amongst the most serious in terms of its intent and in terms of the capability of the people who have been disrupted.”
‘Don’t stop living your lives’
Bill Shorten said Australians should have “a lot of confidence in our police and security agencies this Christmas and every day of the year” and urged people to go about their lives as normal.
He said the nation’s police and security agencies were not “infallible” but were “amongst the best in the world”.
“You can’t stop living the lives that you were going to live because of fear of some of these reports and matters. The few extremists in our community who would wish to disrupt the Australian way of life - they win when we give up,” the Opposition Leader said.
“We have got great police and security services. I’m very privileged in the position I’m in to see perhaps some of the reports and the professionalism with which they conduct themselves. I’ve seen the quality of our ADF men and women in Iraq just last week.
“We are well-served by our defence Forces, by our police and our security agencies. I certainly encourage Australians to go about their business as usual.”
Police said some of those arrested would appear in court today charged with preparing for a terror event. It was a joint AFP, Victoria Police and ASIO operation.
- With AAP[/quote]
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By JoffaTossa - 30 Dec 2016 2:48 PM
"Be Alert, Not Alarmed"....
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