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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/10/terrorism-arrests-made-in-logan-amid-alleged-links-to-syria-conflict
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Two men charged with terrorism offences over alleged Syria conflict links | Two men charged with terrorism offences over alleged Syria conflict links |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Two men who allegedly recruited and funded Australians to fight in Syria have been charged with terrorism offences after police raids in Queensland. | |
| The men, aged 31 and 21, were arrested in Logan, south of Brisbane, in a joint operation involving about 180 Australian federal police (AFP) and Queensland police. | The men, aged 31 and 21, were arrested in Logan, south of Brisbane, in a joint operation involving about 180 Australian federal police (AFP) and Queensland police. |
| It is alleged the men were involved in recruiting, facilitating and funding people to travel to Syria to engage in hostile activities. | It is alleged the men were involved in recruiting, facilitating and funding people to travel to Syria to engage in hostile activities. |
| Police confirmed the 31-year-old was the brother of Ahmed Succarieh, Australia’s first suicide bomber to die in Syria, and was charged with providing funds to the terrorist organisation Jabhat al-Nusra. The other man was not named. | Police confirmed the 31-year-old was the brother of Ahmed Succarieh, Australia’s first suicide bomber to die in Syria, and was charged with providing funds to the terrorist organisation Jabhat al-Nusra. The other man was not named. |
| A crossbow, gun and “significant amount of electronic data” were seized in the raids. | A crossbow, gun and “significant amount of electronic data” were seized in the raids. |
| Police said it was a “coincidence” that the raid came the day after the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio) signalled the terrorism threat level in Australia could be raised. | Police said it was a “coincidence” that the raid came the day after the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio) signalled the terrorism threat level in Australia could be raised. |
| “We are somewhat limited in what specifics we can go into in these particular matters, but the presumption of innocence is paramount and we must allow the normal judicial process to take its course,” said Neil Gaughan, the AFP’s national manager counter terrorism assistant commissioner, on Wednesday afternoon. | “We are somewhat limited in what specifics we can go into in these particular matters, but the presumption of innocence is paramount and we must allow the normal judicial process to take its course,” said Neil Gaughan, the AFP’s national manager counter terrorism assistant commissioner, on Wednesday afternoon. |
| However, police said the men were not involved in any plans for a terrorist attack on Australian soil and the operation, codenamed Bolton, had nothing to do with potential threats to the G20 being held in Brisbane later this year. | However, police said the men were not involved in any plans for a terrorist attack on Australian soil and the operation, codenamed Bolton, had nothing to do with potential threats to the G20 being held in Brisbane later this year. |
| “I would like to stress there is no information or intelligence available to police or security agencies at this time to indicate that these males were involved in terrorism attack planning in Australia,” Gaughan said. | “I would like to stress there is no information or intelligence available to police or security agencies at this time to indicate that these males were involved in terrorism attack planning in Australia,” Gaughan said. |
| Gaughan added that the men were not connected to Islamic State (Isis). “This has got nothing to do with Islam,” he said. “This is criminal behaviour by Australians involved in terrorist activity.” | Gaughan added that the men were not connected to Islamic State (Isis). “This has got nothing to do with Islam,” he said. “This is criminal behaviour by Australians involved in terrorist activity.” |
| One of the raids took place at iQraa Islamic Centre, and Gaughan confirmed the two men were connected to the Islamic bookshop at the centre but would not go into detail. | One of the raids took place at iQraa Islamic Centre, and Gaughan confirmed the two men were connected to the Islamic bookshop at the centre but would not go into detail. |
| Police said there was no immediate threat to public safety but were prompted to act after spending a year on the operation. | Police said there was no immediate threat to public safety but were prompted to act after spending a year on the operation. |
| “We believe that there was an issue of public safety or a threat in relation to the firearms etc, so we have taken that action now,” Gaughan said. | “We believe that there was an issue of public safety or a threat in relation to the firearms etc, so we have taken that action now,” Gaughan said. |
| There are no other suspects in relation to the operation though police have continued questioning people in the community. | There are no other suspects in relation to the operation though police have continued questioning people in the community. |
| A man at the iQraa Islamic centre denied it had been raided when contacted by Guardian Australia before hanging up the phone on Wednesday morning. | A man at the iQraa Islamic centre denied it had been raided when contacted by Guardian Australia before hanging up the phone on Wednesday morning. |
| The Courier-Mail has previously reported the man who ran the shop was the brother of Australia’s first suicide bomber in Syria. | The Courier-Mail has previously reported the man who ran the shop was the brother of Australia’s first suicide bomber in Syria. |
| A customer of the centre, Abu Amaan, described the police attention as “hysteria”. | A customer of the centre, Abu Amaan, described the police attention as “hysteria”. |
| “It [the raid] is instilling fear in the Muslim community,” he said. | “It [the raid] is instilling fear in the Muslim community,” he said. |
| He said the owners were “born and bred” in Australia, and the centre had been raided due to anti-Muslim sentiment. | He said the owners were “born and bred” in Australia, and the centre had been raided due to anti-Muslim sentiment. |
| Its advertised services include a gift store, book store, book cafe and Islamic clothing. | Its advertised services include a gift store, book store, book cafe and Islamic clothing. |
| Amaan said the centre had hosted all kinds of speakers. “They don’t discriminate,” he said. | Amaan said the centre had hosted all kinds of speakers. “They don’t discriminate,” he said. |
| But he added: “I don’t really know the guys very well. All I know is it’s pretty harmless. I don’t understand why all the hysteria.” | But he added: “I don’t really know the guys very well. All I know is it’s pretty harmless. I don’t understand why all the hysteria.” |