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Seven people have been arrested in Melbourne after allegedly preparing for an “ISIS-inspired” terrorist attack on Christmas Day.
The suspects were reportedly targeting Flinders Street Station, Federation Square, and St Paul’s Cathedral – all significant public spaces in the heart of Australia’s second-largest city.
Victorian state police confirmed the arrests, which followed raids targeting five addresses in suburbs in Melbourne’s north; Flemington, Meadow Heights, Dallas, Campbellfield and Gladstone Park.
Around 400 officers from the Victorian and Australian Federal Police were involved.
Five men in their twenties remain in custody.
Victorian Police chief Graham Ashton said: “Over the last fortnight… we have had to conduct a criminal investigation relating to the formation of what we believe was a terrorist plot.
“We believe that there was an intention to conduct what we call a multi-mode attack, possibly on Christmas Day.”
He said four of the five still in custody are Australian-born men of a Lebanese background who “self-radicalised”.
The other man is an Egyptian-born Australian citizen.
“The attack had the potential to cause significant community harm,” he said.
“The community should be concerned but should be reassured that we have got on top of this particular issue.”
Ashton said the plan possible included explosives, knives or firearms, after police recovered evidence of an improvised explosive device during the raids.
“We are anticipating that as a result of that questioning we will present a number of persons before the courts in the early afternoon, seeking to charge them with acts in preparation of a terrorist event.”
There will be an increased police presence over the holiday period.
State Premier Daniel Andrews said: “Victorians should go about their business.
“What the police will allege was not an act of faith, not an act of religious observance, it was, instead, in its planning, an act of evil, a criminal act,” he said.
Police say they will be providing further information on security arrangements over the next 24 hours.
More to come.
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