SYDNEY An 18-year-old man was arrested in Sydney yesterday over an alleged imminent" terror plot, as police raided properties in Melbourne in a separate counterterrorism operation, officials said.
Australian Federal Police claimed the teenager was scouting possible sites in Sydney undertake an attack while at the same time trying to acquire a firearm.
In February he had been stopped at Sydney airport as he attempted to leave for Syria, despite his passport being cancelled, to allegedly fight overseas with jihadist groups. Since that time he has been under the surveillance of the relevant authorities who decided to act to prevent an imminent terrorist event Attorney-General George Brandis told reporters, without giving precise details of potential targets.
The teen, from Sydney, was expected to be charged with acting in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act, which has a maximum penalty of life in prison.
He will also likely be charged with"preparing for an act of foreign incursion.
"This is the ninth occasion since the national terrorism alert level was raised(to high) in September 2014 that police have successfully intervened to preventan imminent terrorism event on Australian soil" Mr Brandis added. AFP