Aussie police hold terror suspects

Sydney – Police yesterday arrested three men who were allegedly preparing to attack a “mass gathering” in Melbourne, less than two weeks after a man was killed in what authorities said was an act of terrorism.

Three men, Hanifi Halis, 21, Samed Erikioglu, 26, and Ertunc Erikioglu, 30, were taken into custody after they allegedly sought to acquire a semi-automatic firearm to carry out an attack.

All three men were charged with planning a terrorist act, police said.

They are all Australian citizens and their passports were cancelled earlier this year.

“We now have sufficient evidence to act in relation to preventing a terrorist attack,” Victoria police’s chief commissioner Graham Ashton told reporters.

Police believe the arrests nullified any threat from the group.