Melbourne terror plot: raids live coverage

Herald Sun (Melbourne) ^ | 18th April 2015

[naturalman1975]

LATEST: PREMIER Daniel Andrews says security will be stepped up across Victoria after police allege they’d foiled Anzac Day terror attack in Melbourne by ISIS-inspired teens.

Police allege they have foiled the terrorism attack against serving police officers involving “associates’’ of the dead Melbourne terrorist Numan Haider.

The Australian Federal Police counter-terrorism chief Neil Gaughan confirmed details of the terror plot today following raids across Melbourne.

Two teenagers were arrested in relation to allegations they were “planning a terrorist attack in Australia’’.

“It is alleged both men were undertaking preparations for a terrorist attack at an Anzac Day event in Melbourne targeting police officers,’’ Mr Gaughan said.

“They are associates of Mr Haider however as that process is currently a coronial investigation I am not going to make any further comment on that at this time.’’

Mr Haider was shot dead as he continued to stab an injured counter-terrorism officer at a Melbourne police station last year.

[naturalman1975]

Next Saturday (25th April) is the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli landings of 1915. This day (ANZAC Day) is the most sacred in the Australian National Calendar (The landings by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli, Turkey, were the first large scale actions by Australian and New Zealand troops as representatives of independent countries, rather than just British colonies, and is sometimes referred to as the day our nations were baptised in blood) and is always marked by large marches of veterans in parades in all large cities. The 100th ANZAC Day is naturally expected to be even more significant than normal. Terrorist attacks on ANZAC events would be strikes directly at the heart of Australia - and therefore need to be significantly protected against, guarded against, and prepared for.

[heylady]

I’d be concerned that there were similar terrorist plots planned for Canberra and Sydney.

[naturalman1975]

Certainly I hope they are looking at that possibility. I would assume they are - in every capital and all other major centres.

(The city of Dandenong on the outskirts of Melbourne is very near where these raids occurred and is pretty significant in terms of ANZAC Day, as it’s where one of Australia’s major Vietnam War memorial is located. It’s also an area with a significant Muslim population (26% of the locals). I honestly do believe most Muslims in Australia are peaceful, but it makes for an environment where those who are not can easily pass unnoticed among their coreligionists - and even the minority can be dangerous.)