Australian authorities have foiled an alleged Islamist-inspired “terrorist plot” to bring down an aeroplane with an improvised explosive and arrested four people in a series of anti-terror raids in Sydney.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said security has been beefed up at all major domestic and international airports following the arrest of four men.
“I can report last night that there has been a major joint counter-terrorism operation to disrupt a terrorist plot to bring down an airplane,” he said.
“We face a range of terrorist threats. Some of them are lone actors, who activate very quickly with very little warning. On other occasions you get quite elaborate conspiracies — this appears to be in that category,” he added.
Earlier, four men were arrested during anti-terror raids carried out by federal police, New South Wales police and ASIO at five properties in Sydney on Saturday.
Police said that they found the material and items that could be used to make a homemade bomb, when they raided the house at Surry Hills on Saturday.
Police alleged that the arrested men were planning to use an “improvised device” to carry out an attack to bring down an aircraft but no details on a particular target, location, time or date were uncovered.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin said they had no reason to believe airport security had been “compromised” but a heightened state of security has been implemented.
