Police have arrested seven people in Melbourne in relation to an alleged planned terrorist attack on Christmas Day.
In a press conference, police chief Graham Ashton said that police had foiled the attack, which was intended to take place in Federation Square and St. Paul’s Cathedral on Christmas Day. The raid found evidence that an improvised explosive device was at some stage of construction.
According to Ashton, though the community has cause for concern, the plan had been neutralised.
“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.”
Premier Daniel Andrews backed up that claim, saying that the threat was contained. “Victorians should go about their business,” Andrews said. “There will be an increased police presence.”
According to Ashton, four of the five men arrested across Melbourne were men in their 20s of Lebanese descent, and one was an Egyptian-born Australian citizen. Several of the men had been known to police for some time.
We’ll keep you posted.
Source: The Age.
Photo: Getty Images.
