ISIS behind Australian men’s foiled Etihad bomb plot: Police
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Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan (right) and New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson speak at a press conference at the Australian Federal Police (AFP) headquarters in Sydney, on Aug 4, 2017.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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"This is one of the most sophisticated plots that has ever been attempted on Australian soil," Commissioner Phelan told reporters.
"If it hadn't been for the great work of our intelligence agencies and law enforcement over a very quick period of time then we could very well have had a catastrophic event in this country."
It was the thirteenth attempt at a major terrorist attack in Australia in the past three years. The plot has prompted heightened security at Australian airports and led to lengthy queues earlier in the week.
Commissioner Phelan said the attempt to smuggle a bomb - which was hidden inside a meat mincer - through airport security prompted police to build a replica device to check whether it could make it through. The replica was detected "100 per cent" of the time, he said, suggesting the brothers' bomb would not have made it onto the Etihad flight.
Police said they were concerned that components of the homemade bomb were successfully sent via air cargo from Turkey.
The Minister for Justice, Mr Michael Keenan, said yesterday that air cargo would be subject to extra screening and that authorities would consider further security measures in the wake of the alleged conspiracy.
Police said the planned chemical bomb was far from being prepared but it was due to be used at a crowded public place. The ISIS controller allegedly suggested venues to the brothers in Sydney.
"They were talking about crowded closed spaces, you know, potentially public transport, and so on," said Commissioner Phelan.
The brothers face life in prison after being charged with two counts of preparing or planning for a terrorist act. Their lawyer, Mr Michael Coroneos, said the men were entitled to the presumption of innocence. The case was adjourned to November 14.
A third man, Mr Khaled Merhi, was arrested last Saturday and remains in custody. Mr Merhi's brother was arrested but has been released without being charged.
Police reportedly learnt of the plot after being tipped off by British and US intelligence agencies, 11 days after the attempt to smuggle the bomb onto the Etihad flight.
