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Australia detains terror suspects | Australia detains terror suspects |
(9 minutes later) | |
Australian police have arrested four people in the southern city of Melbourne after uncovering what they say was a plot to launch an attack. | |
The group was preparing a suicide attack on an army base, police said. | |
More than 400 officers were involved in carrying out 19 search warrants across the city before dawn on Tuesday. | More than 400 officers were involved in carrying out 19 search warrants across the city before dawn on Tuesday. |
The suspects include Australian nationals of Somali and Lebanese descent, and those arrested are due to appear in court later in the day. | |
"Police believe members of a Melbourne-based group have been undertaking planning to carry out a terrorist attack in Australia and allegedly involved in hostilities in Somalia," a police statement said. | "Police believe members of a Melbourne-based group have been undertaking planning to carry out a terrorist attack in Australia and allegedly involved in hostilities in Somalia," a police statement said. |
The attack would have been the most serious terrorist attack on Australian soil, police said, adding that they believed the group planned to use semi-automatic weapons to kill as many service personnel as possible before they themselves were killed. | |
The police said that the raids came after a seven-month operation involving several state and federal agencies. | The police said that the raids came after a seven-month operation involving several state and federal agencies. |
Homes across several northern Melbourne suburbs were among those raided, The Australian reports. | Homes across several northern Melbourne suburbs were among those raided, The Australian reports. |
It adds that those arrested are thought to be linked to the Somali-based al-Shabaab group, which seeks to overthrow the Somali government and is believed to have links to al-Qaeda. | It adds that those arrested are thought to be linked to the Somali-based al-Shabaab group, which seeks to overthrow the Somali government and is believed to have links to al-Qaeda. |
The BBC's Nick Bryant, in Sydney, says reports suggest electronic surveillance was used to monitor members of the group. | The BBC's Nick Bryant, in Sydney, says reports suggest electronic surveillance was used to monitor members of the group. |
Members of the Melbourne-based cell reportedly travelled to Somalia in recent months to train, The Australian reports. |