30-04-2024 07:34 AM Jerusalem Timing

Anti-terror Police Arrest Two in Australia

Anti-terror Police Arrest Two in Australia

Two men have been seized in Sydney with one allegedly in possession of documents connected to a planned terrorist attack on government targets

Two men have been seized in Sydney with one allegedly in possession of documents connected to a planned terrorist attack on government targets, police said Wednesday.
  
The arrests by counter-terror police follow a series pre-dawn raids across Sydney and Brisbane in September as concern mounts about the flow of people to Iraq and Syria to fight with the Islamic State group and other militants.
  
More than 70 Australians are currently fighting for Islamic militants overseas. At least 20 have died and there are fears that increasing numbers of youths are being radicalized and could mount attacks at home.
  
One of the men charged late Tuesday, a 20-year-old, was accused of being in "possession of documents designed to facilitate a terrorist attack" while a 21-year-old was accused of breaching a control order issued by a judge. "Certainly the documents talked a little bit about potential government targets," said Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner for National Security Michael Phelan. He said the targets were in Sydney, but did not go into detail.
  
"I am confident that we've disrupted the activity that they were planning. And that is all I'm prepared to say at this particular point."
  
The arrests follow warnings on Tuesday by Prime Minister Tony Abbott of heightened "terrorist chatter" in the aftermath of a fatal cafe siege in Sydney's financial hub last week.