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Saturday July 31, 2010

What we're talking about

Major terror-related bust in Victoria

Posted by: By Ben Wise, 3AW Radio | 4 August, 2009 - 7:11 AM

ABOVE: Reporter Peter Morriss crossed to 3AW's Ross and John after accompanying police on the pre-dawn raids.

UPDATE 4PM: A man charged over an alleged conspiracy to an attack on an army base in New South Wales put on a defiant face in court today, refusing to stand before the magistrate.

Nayef El Sayed, 25, of Glenroy, briefly appeared at Melbourne Magistrates Court this afternoon. He was remanded in custody to reappear on October 26.

El Sayed would not stand when asked to by the Magistrate Peter Reardon. When asked why, El Sayed's lawyer, Anthony Brand, said his client would not stand for any man except for God, according to his religious beliefs.

El Sayed is charged with conspiring to do acts in preparation for a terrorist act, namely an armed attack on the Australian Army Base at Holsworthy, south west of Sydney.

POLICE UPDATE - 12PM: "A 25-year-old man from Glenroy has been charged with conspiring to commit an offence contrary to section 11.5 of the Criminal Code Act 1995, namely, do an act in preparation for or planning a terrorist act contrary to section 101.6(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995."

"He is expected to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court shortly."

"Police can confirm they are also interviewing a fifth man, a 33-year-old who is already in custody in relation to other matters."

EARLIER: Victoria and Federal police have swooped on properties in the northern suburbs early this morning as part of what's being described as the second-largest counter-terrorism operation in Australia.

Four people are in custody and more arrests are expected, with the alleged terror-plotters of Somalian and Lebanese descent.

AFP boss Tony Negus said: "Nineteen search warrants across Victoria have been issued leading to the arrest of four men, a series of other men have also been spoken to in relation to this investigation."

"A core investigation team of 150 people have been working on this job since January 2009. The search warrants are the result of a seven-month joint investigation after law enforcement and intelligence agencies identified a potential threat to Australia's national security."

"Police will allege that the men were planning to carry out suicide terror attacks on a defence establishment within Australia involving an armed assault with automatic weapons. Details of the planning indicate the alleged offenders were prepared to inflict a sustained attack on military personnel until they themselves were killed."

"The investigation has also identified travel of Australian citizens to Somalia to participate in hostilities in that country."

The joint operation involving 400 officers from the AFP, Victoria Police, NSW Police, the NSW Crime Commission and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) were involved in the operation targeting members of a suspected terror cell.

Police executed the raids around 4.30 this morning in areas including Glenroy, Carlton, Meadow Heights, Preston, Epping and Colac.

It is believed the terror plot has been inspired by the Somalia-based terrorist movement al-Shabaab, which has connections with al-Qaeda.

Listen LIVE to 3AW for the latest on this developing story.


Cops put at 'serious risk'

Simon Overland Victorian Police Commissioner Simon Overland has lashed out at The Australian newspaper for putting officers conducting terror raids on Tuesday at serious risk by reporting on the terror raids even before they were carried out. Read more.

PHOTOS: The crime scene at Glenroy

Terror plot 3AW reporter Donna Demaio is at the newly-established crime scene at a Glenroy house - which was earlier raided by police in conjunction with Australia's second-largest counter-terrorist operation. View her images.


The Somalian link explained

al-Shabaab 3AW Breakfast's Ross and John talked to Monash University Professor Greg Barton about terrorist groups this morning. Click on the link to hear the Director of the Centre for Islam and the Modern World detail the motives of al-Shabaab, a faction of al-Qaida.

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