Australia Foils Terror Attack

The BBC reports Australian police arrested 16 people in Sydney and Melbourne preventing a "potentially catastrophic attack."

Chemicals, weapons, and computers were seized in raids on 23 houses in Sydney and Melbourne Tuesday, following a 16-month investigation.

"I'm satisfied that we have disrupted what I would regard as the final stages of a large-scale terrorist attack, or the launch of a terrorist attack:"

Prosecutor Richard Maidment told the court the men had formed a terrorist group to kill "innocent men and women in Australia".

He claims they received military-style training in rural Australia and had discussions about bomb-making.

Those arrested in Sydney are also due to appear in court.

"The members of the Sydney group have been gathering chemicals of a kind that were used in the London Underground bombings," Mr Maidment said, adding that Abu Bakr was the ringleader of both the Melbourne and Sydney groups.

According to Reuters, a Muslim cleric led the terrorist plot:

Abdul Nacer Benbrika, also known as Abu Bakr, has long been monitored by Australian authorities and grabbed headlines in August after he praised bin Laden, blamed for the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

[. . .]

"Osama Bin Laden, he is a great man," Benbrika, 45, told Australian Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) radio in August.

Following police raids in Sydney and Melbourne on Tuesday, Benbrika was charged with directing the activities of a terrorist organization and remanded in custody until January.

The Australian reports the anti-terrorism operation isn't over.

Comments

[Dennis Van]

A more accurate description would be: "....another RADICAL Muslim terrorist group......". Most Muslim denominations are NOT radical just as most Christian and Hebrew denominations are not radical. Thank you for recognizing the inherent similiarities, but profound differences between some denominations.

[Joshwa]

wow thats great! another muslim terrorist group to add to the long list. They must be angry because the australians are occupying muslim land, or maybe they drew a cartoon about mohammed the holy holy prophet.