Australia: Two More Arrested over Alleged Attack Plot

Local Editor

Australian police said Wednesday they arrested two more men in Sydney as part of an operation that thwarted a potential attack by home-grown extremist militants last year on targets that included a navy base.

Relatively, New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn told reporters that the arrests of the men, aged 24 and 20, brings to 13 the total number of people arrested in the operation.

Earlier this month, five people were charged by police including a 15-year-old boy over the same alleged plot to attack potential targets that included the headquarters of the Australian Federal Police in Sydney and a navy base in the same city.

Meanwhile, one of the two men arrested will be charged with making a document likely to facilitate a terrorist attack. The second will be charged with conspiracy to do an act in preparation to commit a terrorist act.

Australia, a staunch ally of the United States and its battle against extremist militants in Iraq and Syria, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since last year. Authorities said they have thwarted a number of potential attacks, although there have been several "lone wolf" assaults.

In related context, Australian Border Force officials said Wednesday they detained and deported a French national who tried to enter Melbourne just days after terrorist militants killed at least 129 people in Paris last month.

The man was found carrying extremist material on his mobile devices and three cans of mace. Airport security had been stepped up in the wake of the Paris attacks, particularly for travelers from France and Belgium.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team