Police thwart threat to city

Would-be suicide bombers planned to blow up the heart of Melbourne on Christmas Day with a terror attack.

WOULD-BE suicide bombers planned to blow up the heart of Melbourne on Christmas Day in a terror attack aimed at killing as many people as possible.

Flinders Street Railway Station, Federation Square and St Paul’s Cathedral were major targets of the alleged Islamic State-inspired plot.

It’s understood common household goods to fuel the blast were stockpiled at the home of the suspected ringleader. About 400 heavily armed police late Thursday stormed properties across Melbourne’s north and west to avert what authorities branded an immediate terror threat.

Three men in their 20s yesterday faced court on Commonwealth terror charges. A fourth remained in custody. Two other men and a woman were questioned and released.

Victorian Police said security would be ramped up at upcoming major events including the Boxing Day Test.

News Corp has been told the accused plotters discussed martyrdom, suggesting they may have been willing to die in the attack. Authorities are pur- suing a suicide bombing as a line of inquiry.

Police revealed the accused had come to their attention some time ago but the terror threat accelerated in the past fortnight.

They will allege the group were so intent on causing havoc they had already conducted a reconnaissance mission in the area.

Investigators late yesterday remained at the home of the accused plotters’ suspected ringleader, Egyptian-born 24year-old Ahmed Mohamed.

A 20-year-old woman believed to hold “concerning views” and a 26-year-old man were also arrested there but later released.

A neighbour to another home said he heard of the raid, in which an unknown 22-yearold man was arrested, when his wife screamed that someone was in their backyard.

The family living at yet another targeted house had only been there about 12 months and had always kept to themselves, neighbours said.

At a Flemington townhouse, residents told how armed police came in “like stealth” to arrest 21-year-old Hamza Abbas.

A fourth man, 21-year-old Zak Dabboussi, was arrested and released without charge.

A fifth man, 26-year-old Abdullah Chaarani, was also arrested.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said it was “one of the most substantial terrorist plots that has been disrupted over the last several years.”

Mr Turnbull said the news would be “of great concern to all Australians”.

“But we must not be cowered by the terrorists,” he said.

“We will continue to go about our lives as we always have.”