Police Arrest Three Islamic State Supporters In Sydney

Australian police on Tuesday said three men suspected of supporting or being members of Islamic State were arrested in Sydney over an alleged terrorist plot.

The police said the terrorist plot targets several public places, including embassies, churches and court buildings.

The police also said counter terrorism police raided six properties in western Sydney on Tuesday morning and arrested the three men aged 20, 23 and 30.

They said the two younger men would be charged with being members of Islamic State.

The plot, which police said was in the “early stages” of planning, was allegedly inspired by the terrorist group.

Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner Ian McCartney told reporters in Sydney that the 20 year old man had been monitored for the past 12 months after returning to Australia from Lebanon.

The police said: “It was after monitoring the man that he was known to local authorities.

“Apart from planning to conduct a terror attack in Australia, the man had also ‘indicated a willingness to travel to Afghanistan to fight with the Islamic State.”

He is being charged with preparing for a terrorist act and preparing for incursions into foreign countries to engage in a hostile act.

The maximum penalty for both offences is life imprisonment.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old was allegedly “prominent in the global online extremist community.”

He is accused of being a member of a terrorist organization and could face 10 years in jail.

Police also alleged that the 30-year-old, an associate of the other two men, obtained financial benefit by deception by fraudulently claiming unemployment benefits.

He faces 10 years behind bars.

dpa/NAN.