Cops foil Somalian terrorists' plan to bomb army base in Sydney and arrest one
Cops foil Somalian terrorists' plan to bomb army base in Sydney and arrest one
The foiled suicide raid by a group of Somali and Lebanese terrorists early yesterday morning has apparently shaken Australian authorities out of what media reports have exposed as complacency.
Even as a popular television channel yesterday revealed the lax security at the army base in western Sydney, an Australian newspaper professedly held back news in its possession of the plot by terrorists to launch a suicide attack on Holsworthy Barracks, which was uncovered by security agencies, from its early editions on Monday night.
While revealing details of the second-largest counter-terrorism operation in Australia's history early yesterday morning, the nationally-distributed newspaper The Australian wrote in an exclusive expose: "Federal and state police, armed with search warrants, are poised to swoop on members of the suspected terror cell as early as this morning, as they seek to arrest Australian nationals of Somali and Lebanese backgrounds."
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It went on to reveal at great length details of the planned plot involving a nondescript group of Melbourne labourers and taxi drivers, of Somali and Lebanese descent, who were seduced by the lure of the violent Somali extremist group al-Shabaab.
The newspaper reported: "Authorities believe the group is at an advanced stage of preparing to storm an Australian Army base, using automatic weapons as punishment for Australia's military involvement (in Somalia).
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It is understood the men plan to kill as many soldiers as possible before they are themselves killed."
The report said the men were expected to be charged with a range of terrorism-related offences.
The first man charged over the conspiracy, Nayef al Sayed, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday on a terrorism offence.
El Sayed (25) is charged with conspiring with four men and other unknown persons to "do acts in preparation for an armed attack" on the Holsworthy army base.
Text messages seized by police involving other people also revealed the name of a train station.
The court heard intercepted calls between the men which revealed details of the plot and about engaging in violent activity in Australia.
Australian federal police agent Niranjan Jirasinha said the conversations took place between people in Australia and overseas.
The court was told police had a large amount of evidence, including recorded phone conversations, text messages and other surveillance.
It also heard allegations one of the men trained at a camp in Somalia where weapons and military training took place.
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