Churches, courts, police stations and defence locations in the Sydney CBD were the targets of a terror plot planned by two Sydney-based ISIS members, police allege.Investigators raided six homes in Sydney's south west on Tuesday morning and arrested 20-year-old Isaak el Matari and two other men, aged 23 and 30, in connection to plans for a terror attack.
"We will allege in court that the man was in early-stage preparations and was someone who had expressed intentions to carry out a terrorist attack in Australia," Australian Federal Police's national manager of counter terrorism Ian McCartney said on Tuesday.
"Police station, defence establishments, embassies and consulates, courts and churches" were all potential targets, he said
Mr el Matari had been under police surveillance since returning to Lebanon 12 months ago, he said.
This was the 16th alleged planned terror attack police have foiled since the terror threat level in Australia was elevated to probable in 2014.
"There are still people who wish to do the community harm. Their actions are criminal and they represent hate and terror," Mr McCartney said.
The men had been discussing locations of potential attacks, police will allege, and had planned to import firearms and explosives to carry out those attacks.
"They were starting to reach out to people overseas," Mr McCartney said.
Mr el Matari also allegedly planned to go to Afghanistan to pledge allegiance to and fight for the Islamic State, he said.
The Greenacre man is expected to be charged with one count of preparing for a terrorist act, one count of being part of a terrorist organisation and will also face charges under the so-called foreign fighter legislation designed to stop Islamic State sympathisers from going to the Middle East to fight.
A 23-year-old from Toongabbie is expected to be charged with being a member of ISIS, while a 30-year-old man from Chester Hill will face charges of defrauding Centrelink.
"What I can confirm is that they were known to each other," he said, noting that they met online.
Police also had in place an "escalation plan" for the attacks, NSW Counter Terrorism commander Mick Willing said.
"In matters of this type, public safety is paramount. We had appropriate resources briefed and ready, including tactical resources and the life."
At the homes across Canada Bay, Chester Hill, Green Valley, Toongabbie, Greenacre and Ingleburn, police seized a number of items for forensic analysis.
Investigators would not comment on how the men became allegedly radicalised.
Mr el Matari had a visa and a plane ticket for Afghanistan, and planned to purchase a firearm upon arrival, police said.
"Through these activities, he'd sworn allegiance to IS," Mr McCartney said.
"There was a domestic plan at the same time."
No further arrests are expected, police said.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/three-alleged-isis-supporters-arrested-in-sy...
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