Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Australian terror raids: AFP, ASIO move on suspected terrorists

Australian terror raids: AFP, ASIO move on suspected terrorists 

http://www.news.com.au/national/australian-terror-raids-afp-asio-move-on-suspected-terrorists/story-fncynjr2-1227062204389

ASIO and the Australian Federal Police have launched a number of raids across homes in Sydney and Brisbane this morning in the nation’s biggest counter-terrorism operation in history. 

The operation is understood to have been given the green light after months of surveillance of Australians believed to be linked to extremist terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
The strikes were reportedly pre-emptive in nature, and were linked to a Brisbane man who was recently arrested on suspected terrorism related charges.

The terror cell targeted in the raids is believed to have been close to an attack, and reports have emerged that the groups may have been planning beheadings or mass shootings on home soil.
Australian Federal Police Acting Commissioner Andrew Colvin confirmed 25 search warrants were executed this morning, 15 people were detained in Sydney and one person has been charged for serious terrorism related offences. He is due in a Sydney court later today.

“Police believe this group had started planning to commit violent acts in Australia. Those acts related to random acts against public,” he said.

Channel Seven reports the man planned to kidnap a random Australian, execute them by beheading and film the act and post on social media.

Where the raids happened in Sydney.
Where the raids happened in Sydney. Source: Supplied
Three raids took place in Brisbane.
Three raids took place in Brisbane. Source: Supplied
NSW Police and Australian Federal Police during a raid in Bass Hill. Large numbers of Pol
NSW Police and Australian Federal Police during a raid in Bass Hill. Large numbers of police have searched a house with the assistance of sniffer dogs and special operations police. Picture: Bill Hearne Source: News Corp Australia
 
At least one weapon was seized in NSW counterterrorism raids this morning. Over 800 police involved in NSW. Over 70 officers in Brisbane.

AFP believes raids in Queensland are not directly related to NSW raids. “We are looking at links between the two.”

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipone said: “What we can indicate is that the violence was to be perpetrated on a member of the public on the streets at a very high level.

“Today’s operation reflects the reality of the treat that we face”.

“Right now is a time for calm, we don’t need to whip this up, we need to let people know that they are safe.

ABC is reporting a man involved in the raids has been taken to hospital with injuries he claims he received from police.

News.com.au has contacted all other state police departments, confirming no anti-terror operations were underway as the co-ordinated operation unfolds in Brisbane and Sydney.

DID YOU WITNESS THE RAIDS? EMAIL YOUNGMA@NEWS.COM.AU
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Forensic officers are on the scene at the Guildford raids in Sydney where three people are being held at a Bursill Street home and it appears that police had seized cash.

Authorities believe a terrorist network had been planning a number of attacks in Australia.
Police raid a home at Bursill Street, Guilford. pic John Grainger
Police raid a home at Bursill Street, Guildford. pic John Grainger Source: News Corp Australia
Cash seized at the Guilford address.
Cash seized at the Guildford address. Source: News Corp Australia
The Daily Telegraph reports at least 600 officers from the Australian Federal Police, ASIO officers and the NSW counter terrorism unit launched the strikes before dawn this morning.

According to a statement, the arrests followed the execution of “a number of search warrants” in Beecroft, Bella Vista and Castle Hill in the city’s northwest, and Guildford, Merrylands, Northmead, Wentworthville, Marsfield, Westmead, Castle Hill, Revesby, Bass Hill and Regents Park in the west.
Australian Federal Police are also executing warrants in Brisbane.

The southern suburbs of Mt Gravatt East, Logan and Underwood are being targeted in the raids.
A spokesman for AFP said police were executing three search warrants in the Brisbane operation. There are unconfirmed reports several arrests have been made.

The operation follows the arrests of two men with terror links in South East Queensland last week.
The operation is still underway.

WITNESS REPORTS

The father and sister of a 22-year-old man being held by police in a Bass Hill House denied he is a terrorist.

“I think people are people,” the sister said. “No one deserves to be treated like a terrorist unless you actually are.”

Bass Hill family deny son is a terrorist

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A witness to this morning’s counterterrorism police raids has described the operation as “surreal” after witnessing the largest anti-terrorism bust in the nation’s history.

Caller Chris told Triple M’s The Grill Team he was only “six doors down” when police swooped on a home in Sydney’s Bass Hill.

“About 4 o’clock I was woken up by a helicopter going over, which I thought was rather weird,” he told hosts Matty Johns, Mark Geyer and Gus Worland.

“Then at 5 o’clock the dog started barking, I had a look out and there would have had to have been 30-40 coppers.

“A lot of cars, I went out to be a sticky beak, as you do, and I was told, quite promptly, ‘go, go back inside do not come back out’.

“They’ve blocked off the road, it was pretty surreal.”

He described his feelings towards his neighbours being linked to terrorist organisations as “a bit iffy”.
“Around the area, we’ve got a lot of. you know ... I’m not a racist or anything ... but you see these people, we walk down the street, you say ‘g’day’, they look down.

“You don’t know how to take it.”

Three people are held at the Bursill street address targeted in this morning’s raids. Pic
Three people are held at the Bursill street address targeted in this morning’s raids. Pic: John Grainger Source: News Corp Australia
 
POLITICAL REACTION

Scott Morrison said the morning’s raids demonstrate why the government has taken recent action to beef up counter terror laws.

“I think the scale of what we’re seeing in this ongoing operation … demonstrates the very real threat that’s there,” the Immigration Minister told ABC radio.

“I think [it] again supports why the government has been so strong in its response to this threat, over $630 million in additional investment the Prime Minister announced as you know to deal with this threat at home, but equally we’re dealing with this threat abroad.”
Another man is arrested in Guilford.
Another man is arrested in Guildford. Source: Supplied
Police arrest a man in Guilford this morning.
Police arrest a man in Guildford this morning. Source: DailyTelegraph
Other senior government ministers were unable to shed more light on the raids, but praised the work of authorities.

“I note the security agencies, the Police, ASIO are working hard to ensure that we are safe,” Coalition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull told ABC radio this morning.

“Our security is the consequence of continued vigilance and hard work on the part of the security agencies.

“There is no cause for being complacent about security.

“There are people, regrettably some of them in our midst, that don’t have the nation’s best interest at heart.”

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s G20 Finance Minister’s meeting in Cairns, Joe Hockey said he had confidence in the security measures in place.

“Everyone needs to make sure that with an increased threat level associated with potential terrorist attacks in Australia we have all the necessary precautions taken for both the G20 here in Cairns and also in Brisbane,” the Treasurer told Sunrise.


“But, I am very confident that all bases are covered.

“We have put a lot of effort into this for a long period of time.”

Anyone who has information should call the national security hotline on 1800 123 400, he said, while commending the authorities for their work and cooperation.


Islamic bookshop raided in Brisbane

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RAISING THE THREAT LEVEL

Last week, outgoing director-general of ASIO David Irvine told ABC’s 7.30 the threat of an attack has been building over the last year, and that he has an “elevated level of concern”.

“In Australia, we’ve been very lucky in that we have avoided an attack on Australian soil ... but we’ve also had to stop terrorist attacks occurring in Australia.

“We are certainly aware of people wanting to conduct terror attacks in the west and in Australia. We are facing a persistent threat.”

The national security level alert was raised from “medium” to “high” last Friday.
BIGGEST BUST IN AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

It is believed the size of the raid eclipsed that of Operation Pendennis in 2005 when several hundred ASIO, AFP and NSW police arrested 13 men across Melbourne and the Sydney suburb of Bankstown, who had been planning bomb attacks in both capitals.

PREVIOUS ARRESTS

The raids come a day after a Sydney-based money transfer business owned by the sister and brother-in-law of convicted Sydney terrorist Khaled Sharrouf was shut down amid concerns it was being used to funnel funds to the Middle East to finance terrorism.

The Lakemba remittance provider, Bisotel Rieh Pty Ltd, owned by Damour Sharrouf and her husband Ahmed Alwash, was suspended after they could not account for millions of dollars transferred to Turkey and Lebanon.

Last week, Brisbane man Omar Succarieh, 31, was arrested and charged with terrorism-related offences following a series of raids.

He’s accused of fundraising for Syria-based extremist group Jabhat al-Nusra and helping another man, Agim Kruezi, obtain funds to fight for a terror organisation overseas.

Succarieh, who is due to apply for bail in court today, is believed to be the brother of Ahmed Succarieh, who reportedly became Australia’s first suicide bomber in Syria last year.
— More to come

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