Terrorist plot in Australia foiled

Seven planned to attack Melbourne on Christmas Day

SYDNEY // A “significant” ISIL- inspired Christmas Day terrorist plot targeting central Melbourne has been foiled after a series of arrests, police said yesterday.

Those detained planned to use explosives, knives and guns to attack locations including Melbourne’s Flinders Street railway station, Federation Square and St Paul’s Cathedral, Graham Ashton, the head of Victoria state police said.

The targets of the alleged attack were all in the heart of the city, and a short distance from the Melbourne Cricket Ground where up to 100,000 people are expected to attend the Boxing Day test between Australia and Pakistan.

Of the seven arrested yesterday morning, five remain in custody. All had been under surveillance for weeks.

Mr Ashton said four of them were Australian-born, of Lebanese background, with the fifth an Egyptian- born Australian citizen, all in their 20s.

“Certainly these are self-radicalised, we believe, but inspired by ISIL and ISIL’s propaganda,” he said.

“If this had got under our guard this would have been a significant attack, we believe. No doubt about that.” Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said a potential disaster had been averted in Melbourne and praised police and security services.

“This is one of the most substantial terrorist plots that have been disrupted over the last several years,” he said in Sydney. We are approaching the Christmas season, a time when we come together in peace and love, with our families.

“These terrorists sought to disrupt it. They have been thwarted. They are in custody. They are no longer a threat to Australians’ security.”