Two face charges after counter-terrorism raids

TWO men have been charged after counter-terrorism officers raided two homes in Sydney’s west over an alleged plot targeting a naval base and police buildings.

The raids were led by Australian Federal Police and NSW Police under Operation Appleby, which was set up in September last year to investi- gate about 20 young men who investigators believe have committed to carrying out a terrorist attack in Australia.

Mohammad Rashad Almouie, 20, was arrested in Bankstown and Abdullah Salihy, 24, in Merrylands before being brought to Parramatta Local Court yesterday.

Almouie is charged with conspiracy to do an act in preparation to commit a terrorist act, an offence that carries a penalty of life imprisonment.

Salihy is charged with knowingly collecting or making a document connected with terrorism, which has a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

Neither applied for bail and it was formally refused. Police will allege Salihy knowingly made a document connected with the preparation for a terrorist act on police buildings and Sydney’s Garden Island navy facility.

“These are very serious charges,” NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn said.

Police will allege both men were part of a “group of people (who) came together with the intent to do something and they started to make preparations to carry out a terrorist act”.

Australia’s domestic terror threat alert level is currently at “probable’, meaning the public should exercise caution.