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Sydney police arrest teenager and man over 'terror plans' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two males, aged 15 and 20, have been arrested during raids by counter-terror police in Sydney. | |
They have been charged with "conspiracy to conduct an act in preparation for a terrorist act", Federal Police said. | |
The arrests are linked to a plot outlined in material seized last year as part of Operation Appleby. | |
That operation, in September 2014, was sparked by intelligence reports that Islamist extremists were planning random killings in Australia. | |
Then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott said at the time a senior Australian Islamic State militant had called for "demonstration killings", reportedly including a public beheading. | |
At least 800 heavily armed officers arrested 16 people as part of Operation Appleby in September 2014, in what was Australia's biggest ever anti-terror operation. | |
Police said the arrests on Thursday were not linked to a new plot, but to documents seized during those raids that talked about a plan to target government and police buildings. | |
Three other people already in jail for other offences will also face new charges, they said. | |
"As a result of putting all of that information together, working through those documents, putting physical and electronic surveillance together, we were able to build a case of conspiracy for five people involved in the preparation of these documents," said Deputy Commissioner of National Security Michael Phelan. | |
New South Wales Police said the teenager who was arrested had clearly been radicalised. | |
"It is disturbing that we continue to deal with teenaged children in this environment," said Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn. | |
"To be putting a 15-year-old before the courts on very serious charges that carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment demonstrates the difficulties law enforcement face." | |
Police said a total of 11 people had now been charged under Operation Appleby. |