Australian teens arrested on terror plot allegations

Officials had been watching group for months; responded to ISIS-inspired plans

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA— Five Australian teenagers were arrested Saturday on suspicion of plotting an Islamic State group-inspired terrorist attack at a veterans day ceremony that included targeting police officers, officials said.

The suspects included two 18-yearolds, who are alleged to have been preparing an attack at the Anzac Day ceremony in Melbourne later this month, Australian Federal Police Acting Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan told reporters.

Another 18-year-old was arrested on weapons charges, and two other men, aged 18 and 19, were in custody and assisting police. All the arrests took place in Melbourne.

Anzac Day is the annual April 25 commemoration of the 1915 Gallipoli landings, the first major military ac- tion fought by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during the First World War.

Police said they believe the plot was inspired by the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, and was to have involved “edged weapons.”

“At this stage, we have no information that it was a planned beheading. But there was reference to an attack on police,” Gaughan said. “Some evidence that we have collected at a couple of the scenes . . . leads us to believe that this particular matter was ISIS-inspired.”

Australia’s government has raised the country’s terror warning level in response to the domestic threat posed by supporters of the Islamic State group.

In September last year, the group’s spokesman, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, issued a message urging attacks abroad, specifically mentioning Australia.

Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan said the teens arrested Saturday were on officials’ radar for months.