Police were targeting a group of people they allege support the Islamic State terrorist group. Photo / News Corp
Police were targeting a group of people they allege support the Islamic State terrorist group. Photo / News Corp
Police have arrested three men following a number of anti-terror raids in Sydney this morning.
The combined national police operation, which involved the raiding of a number of properties across Sydney, has led to the foiling of an alleged terror plot.
The NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) conducted raids in Sydney on Tuesday overseen by the AFP.
Police were targeting a group of people they allege support the Islamic State terrorist group.
Three men, aged 20, 23 and 30 have been arrested and are expected to be charged with terror related offences.
Police executed six search warrants across suburbs in western Sydney this morning.
The raids took place across a number of suburbs including Greenacre, Green Valley, Canada Bay, Toongabbie, Chester Hill and Ingleburn, according to reports.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney revealed the men were allegedly planning to attack multiple locations.
"We will say that they had a number of targets, including police stations, defence establishments, embassies and councils, courts and churches," Assistant Commissioner McCartney said.
The 20-year-old Greenacre man is expected to be charged with one count of acting in preparation for a terrorist act and one count of engaging in preparations for incursions into foreign countries for the purpose of engaging in hostile activities.
The combined national police operation, which involved the raiding of a number of properties across Sydney, has led to the foiling of an alleged terror plot. Photo / 9News
Assistant Commissioner McCartney also added that the accused had made a "number of preparations" to travel to Afghanistan and fight for Islamic State.
The Greenacre man and a 23-year-old from Toongabbie are expected to be charged with being a member of a terrorist organisation, namely Islamic State.
It is alleged both men identified as members of IS to other like-minded people online and the Toongabbie man was prominent in the global online extremist community.
NSW Police Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander, Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing, said the internet allows individuals to influence others with their extremist ideologies.
"The online environment provides fast and easy access to information and, unfortunately, those benefits are also being exploited by extremists, who use digital technologies to exist 'virtually' if their physical existence is under threat," Assistant Commissioner Willing said.
An associate of the two men, a 30-year-old Chester Hill man, is expected to be charged with obtaining a financial benefit by deception, namely fraudulently claiming Commonwealth unemployment benefits.
"Today this highlights two issues: There are still those within the community who wish us harm and the community of Australia harm," Assistant Commissioner McCartney said.
"Their actions are criminal and they represent hatred and terror."
All three men are expected to appear before Parramatta Local Court today or tomorrow.
The JCTT has teams in each state and territory, comprised of AFP, state and territory police. Their operations are focused on investigating and disrupting terrorist operations.
