Bomb plot boosts airport security
AUSTRALIA: The state of Australia’s airport security has been thrown into question following the dramatic arrest of an Islamistinspired terrorist cell in Sydney whose members were allegedly plotting to blow up an aircraft.
In a significant departure from the low-tech, lone actor attacks that Islamic State has inspired in Australia, the group of two middleaged men and their two adult sons were allegedly working on an ‘‘elaborate’’ plot to build an improvised explosive device that could take down a plane.
Bomb squad officers were among dozens of police who raided five properties across Sydney on Saturday evening, arresting four men.
Fairfax Media understands a home-made bomb was allegedly found in a Surry Hills terrace, possibly to be planted on a commercial flight to the Middle East. A kitchen mincer was among the items seized from the homes in Surry Hills, Lakemba, Wiley Park and Punchbowl. Police are investigating whether it was intended to be used as part of the alleged plot.
The operation has forced authorities to implement emergency security arrangements at all major Australian airports. In Sydney, enhanced security was enacted on Thursday when police received an indication of a possible threat. Extra screening and additional checks of cabin and checked baggage are expected to lead to longer queues and check-in times at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Cairns, Gold Coast and Hobart airports.
‘‘We have taken this threat very seriously,’’ Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin said. ’’You should infer we think this was credible and there was an intention and quite possibly a capability as well.’’
Khaled Merhi, Abdul Merhi, Khaled Khayat and Mahmoud Khayat were arrested at the terrace in Surry Hills and units in Renown Ave and Victoria Rd, Punchbowl, and Sproule St, Lakemba, respectively. They have family links to each other and links to previous plots and established networks.
Investigators believe that, based on the degree of sophistication of the plot, the group may have had some overseas direction. Police successfully applied in court on Sunday to extend their interrogation for 24 hours. By Sunday evening, the court had granted police special detention orders to extend the interrogation period again for up to seven days.
It is understood an operation was being planned last week but police were forced to bring it forward drastically following information from an overseas agency.
‘‘At this time, we don’t have a great deal of information on the specific attack, the location, date or time. However, we’re investigating information indicating the aviation industry was potentially a target of that attack,’’ Colvin said.
Meanwhile, two men and a teenager have pleaded guilty to plotting a terrorist attack on government buildings, including police headquarters, in Sydney almost three years ago.
Jibryl Almaouie and Sulayman Khalid pleaded guilty yesterday in the NSW Supreme Court in Parramatta to conspiring to carry out an act of terror in late 2014. Another person under 18, who cannot be named, also pleaded guilty to the plan which involved carrying out attacks on government buildings with firearms. The two men and the teen who pleaded guilty yesterday are among six involved in the plot. The other three pleaded guilty earlier this year.
Since 2014, 70 people have been charged as a result of 31 counterterrorism operations nationally and 13 plots have been thwarted. - Aap-fairfax