The
22-year-old Sydney man arrested in the nation's largest counterterrorism
operation allegedly conspired with Australia's most senior Islamist
militant to launch a deadly attack on a random passerby, court documents
show.
According
to the documents, police intercepted a phone call between the arrested
Omarjan Azari and Mohammad Ali Baryalei - who is alleged to have
recruited half of the 60 Australians fighting in the Middle East - two
days ago.
The
account said Baryalei ordered him to carry out an attack which Sydney
Central Local Court heard was 'clearly designed to shock, horror and
terrify the community'.
Omarjan Azari appeared in Sydney's Central Local Court charged with conspiracy to prepare a terrorist attack on Australian soil
Before
it emerged this month that Baryalei had become a senior Islamic State
militant, he worked as a bouncer in Sydney’s Kings Cross nightclub
district and had also played a bit part in the TV series Underbelly.
Azari
today appeared in court charged with a conspiracy to prepare a
terrorist attack on Australian soil. He is the only man charged so far
after police arrested 15 people in raids earlier today.
Police
Prosecutor Michael Allnutt told the court that Azari had made a threat
during a phone call a few days ago which involved a 'random selection of
persons to execute'.
Azari,
who has dark hair, a beard and moustache, had displayed 'an unusual
level of fanaticism' in the call, which was intercepted by police.
Azari's
lawyer Steve Boland did not apply for bail but asked Magistrate Richard
Bailey if Azari could go back down to the dock during the hearing.
Magistrate
Bailey agreed and Azari, who had sat in the dock stroking his beard and
smiled briefly while talking to Mr Boland, left the courtroom.
The accused terrorist was taken from
court in a high risk security orange prison jumpsuit by heavily armed
NSW Corrective Services officer
The hearing adjourned shortly afterward, and Mr Azari is due reappear in court via video link from prison on November 13.
The
accused terrorist was taken from court in a high risk security orange
prison jumpsuit by heavily armed NSW Corrective Services officers.
Officers
with shotguns drove Azari - who put his head down between his handcuffs
in the back seat of an armoured vehicle - from Central Local Court
where the Sydney man made a brief appearance.
As
a person accused of conspiracy to prepare for a terrorist act, Azari
will be taken to a maximum security prison, most likely the High Risk
Management Correctional Centre - also known as Supermax - inside
Goulburn prison.
Police
intercepted a phone call between the arrested Omarjan Azari and Mohammad
Ali Baryalei (pictured) who worked as a bouncer at a Kings Cross
nightclub and played a bit part in an episode of Underbelly
Mohammad Ali Baryalei (pictured) played a bit part in the popular Underbelly TV program.
An armed police officer escorted Azari from court into a waiting prison van
Heavily armed police have made a number of arrests in a series of dawn raids in northwest Sydney
A car was searched across the road from the house that Omarjan Azari was arrested at
The
court appearance followed a series of pre-dawn raids that saw 25 search
warrants executed across Sydney's northwest, as well as a series of
raids in three suburbs in Brisbane.
'Police
believe that this group that we have executed this operation on today
had the intention, and had started to carry out planning, to commit
violent acts here in Australia,' AFP Acting Commissioner Andrew Colvin
told reporters in Sydney.
'Those violent acts particularly related to random acts against members of the public.'
Police
sources revealed more details to Daily Mail Australia, that the plot
involved abducting a member of the public in Sydney and beheading them.
ABC reported that the abducted member of the public would be draped in
an Islamic State flag and beheaded on camera.
Channel Seven reports that the random beheading would have been carried out in the streets of Martin Place in Sydney's CBD.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott confirmed that he was briefed on the anti-terror operation on Wednesday night.
He said a senior Australian ISIL member has asked supporters in Australia to carry out 'demonstration killings'.
'That's
the intelligence we've received. That exhortations, quite direct
exhortations, were coming from an Australian who is apparently quite
senior in ISIL to networks of supporters in Australia to direct
demonstration killings in Australia. This is not just suspicion this is
in intent,' Mr Abbott said.
A large sword was seized as part of the evidence found at a home in the suburb of Marsfield, in Sydney
NSW Police filmed the arrests of the terror suspects on Thursday morning
Police executed search warrants in what is thought to be Australia's largest ever counter-terror operation
Mr Abbott said the information he has received shows Australia is at a 'serious risk' from a terrorist attack.
'There
are networks of people here in Australia who will do us harm and it's
very important that we are one step ahead of them and I think this
morning we were,' he added.
A
similar attack occurred on British Army soldier, Lee Rigby, in May
2013. Quoting Canberra sources, the Nine Network reported an attack was
imminent.
AFP Commissioner Colvin said: 'It is the largest operation of its type undertaken in Australia's history.'
AFP Acting Commissioner Andrew Colvin
and NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione appeared in a joint press
conference on Thursday
One Sydney
man (left) involved in the raids was reportedly taken to hospital with
injuries he claims he received from police. On 22 May, a British Army
soldier, Fusilier Drummer Lee Rigby (right), was nearly beheaded by
exteremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale in Woolwich,
southeast London
Police revealed officers had to use force to detain three people.
One Sydney man involved in the raids was reportedly taken to hospital with injuries he claims he received from police.
A photo of the man, obtained by the ABC, shows bruising around his eye.
Some members of Sydney's Muslim community are planning a protest on Thursday night in response to the dawn-raids.
A Facebook event group called 'STOP TERRORISING MUSLIMS!' claims that brutality was used by the police during the raids.
Front and back yards were dug up at a Guildford home after it was raided
Forensic teams appeared to leave no stone unturned at the Guildford home
A policeman was seen shovelling mud outside of the house on Thursday afternoon
Around 12 homes were searched in Sydney’s northwest suburbs by NSW Police and Australian Federal Police (AFP).
Police
executed search warrants in Beecroft, Bellavista, Guildford,
Merrylands, Northmead, Wentworthville, Marsfield, Westmead, Castle Hill,
Revesby, Bass Hill and Regents Park.
The AFP also carried out three search warrants in Brisbane in the suburbs of Mount Gravatt East, Logan and Underwood.
The Queensland raids were not directly related to the operations in Sydney.
The
arrests in Sydney follow months of surveillance of people linked to the
terrorist group Islamic State, which has been cutting a barbaric path
through Iraq and Syria.
'25
search warrants across Sydney have been executed and there is one
person who has been charged with serious terrorism related offences,'
AFP Acting Commissioner Andrew Colvin said.
'The
operation commenced earlier this year and the police believe that they
had the intention and had started to carry out planning the attack here
in Australia particularly related to random acts to members of the
public.'
It's believed those arrested in Sydney could have links to a Brisbane man now facing terrorism related charges.
In Queensland police were seen searching a house in Mount Gravatt, Brisbane
The raids at the Brisbane homes on
Thursday are said to be linked to a series of raids that were carried
out last week in the city
The search warrants carried out in Queensland are a follow up to the previous terror investigation in Queensland last week.
'We
are investigating links between the two investigations in Sydney today
and Queensland last week, it's too early to speculate about what those
linkages are,' Mr Colvin said.
NSW
Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione told reporters Sydney residents
will see large numbers of police in public places in the coming days.
'There
will be 220 police very visible dealing with any troublemakers,' Mr
Scipione said, in what is known as Operation Hammerhead.
Queensland
Police Commissioner Ian Stewart confirmed that the raids in three
properties in Brisbane today were linked to the arrests last week of two
men charged with preparing for incursions into Syria with the intention
of engaging in hostile activities.
However, he said no arrests were made on Thursday.
More than 15 locations in Australia were the subject of terror raids
Commissioner Stewart said: 'Since that time we have come across disturbing information about another person.'
Omar
Succarieh, 31, who is the brother of Australia's first suicide bomber
to die in Syria, was arrested along with a 21-year-old man after a raid
on iQraa Islamic Centre in Logan.
Seven homes and a gym in the area near Underwood were also raided last week.
Queensland's
Premier Campbell Newman said that it is alleged 'at least one
individual was contemplating onshore terrorist action'.
The Queensland police deployed 60 officers to Thursday's raids and their investigation is ongoing.
Commissioner Stewart said there were direct links between the raids in Queensland and the raids in Sydney.
Around 12 homes were searched in Sydney’s northwest suburbs
Authorities raided a string of homes and made several arrests
'It
is of serious concern that in the heart of our community there have
been plans to conduct a random attack. We know there were plans on foot
and we have been able to disrupt that.
'Our police will continue to work tirelessly to prevent any such attacks but I stress this is a time for calm.
'We
want people to continue to enjoy the freedoms that make our country
such a wonderful and harmonious country,' Commissioner Scipione said
Earlier
in the day, Commissioner Scipione told the Today Show: 'This has been a
big operation and it reflects what we are dealing with right now. We've
committed a lot of staff to the work today and I'm incredibly proud of
what we've done already.'
Scott
Morrison, the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, said the
scale of the operation 'demonstrates the very real threat' of an
attack.
A woman arrives back at a house in Mt Gravatt where police had carried out a search
NSW Police and Australian Federal Police officers raid a house in Bursill Street, Guildford
Scott Morrison, the Minister for
Immigration and Border Protection, said the scale of the operation
'demonstrates the very real threat' of an attack
Police interviewed suspects inside their homes and also took photos
He
told ABC's AM program on Thursday morning: 'I think the scale of what
we're seeing in this ongoing operation this morning, over 600 police
officers involved, I think demonstrates the very real threat that's
there.
'And
the incredibly good work which is being done by our agencies, and I
think again supports why the Government has been so strong in its
response to this threat.'
Coalition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull told ABC radio: 'There is no cause for being complacent about security.
'There are people, regrettably some of them in our midst, that don’t have the nation’s best interest at heart.'
A witness named Chris, from Bass Hill, told Triple M's Grill Team breakfast show that the scene outside his home was ‘surreal’.
A man was taken away in handcuffs from a property in Marsfield
Police swooped on the houses before sunrise in Sydney and Brisbane
Police sources say they had to act now and the operation is ongoing
'I
was woken up about 4 o'clock by a helicopter going over head. And at
5am the dog started barking.And I had a look outside and there would
have been 30 or 40 coppers.
'I went out, and without being a stickybeak (as you do), I was told quite probably 'GO, go back inside, do not come out'.
'It was only six doors down.'
Guildford resident Mark Anderson told the Sydney Morning Herald he had just got up for work at 4.30am at his home on Bursill Street when the raids took place.
He saw a helicopter circling the area, a bright light and police yelling on a loudspeaker for someone to come outside.
Officers from AFP, NSW Police, and ASIO were heavily armed when they swooped on the houses
The raids come amid growing concerns that some Australians have been sending money overseas to support terrorist organisations
Police sniffer dogs were used inside the homes of the terror suspects
'I
heard them calling out to him to 'Come out!' for about 10 to 15 minutes.
I don't know if he was too agreeable. I didn't really understand a
name. It was pretty intense,' Mr Anderson said.
Dr
Jamal Rifi, one of the Australian Islamic community’s most vocal
critics of extremists fighting in the Middle East, tweeted his support
for the raids.
‘Safety and security of ALL AUSTRALIAN is (everyone’s) responsibility,’ he said.
The raid comes after Prime Minister Tony Abbott raised Australia's terror threat alert from medium to high last week.
It's
the highest alert level in more than a decade and means the chances of a
terror strike is now considered 'much more likely', according to Mr
Abbott.
NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said some of the people who were arrested had previously had their passports revoked
NSW Police
Commissioner Andrew Scipione said now is a time for 'calm' as he spoke
alongside AFP Acting Commissioner Andrew Colvin
NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione spoke at Sydney Police headquarters in Surry Hills, Sydney
The
high alert means there will be more security at airports, ports,
military bases, government buildings, public landmarks and major
sporting events.
'Normal life in Australia can and must go on but there are people who wish to do us harm,' Mr Abbot said.
‘What
we do have is intelligence is that there are people with the intent and
the capability to mount attacks, here in Australia.
'We
do know of people coming back from the Middle East, brutalised and
accustomed to kill and do pose a direct threat to our community.'
ASIO Director-General of Security, David Irvine, advised the Federal Government to raise the terror threat to high.
'For
some considerable years, indeed since the Bali attacks, Australia and
Australian institutions and people have been regarded by al-Qaeda and
its offshoots as, they would say, legitimate targets for attack,' Mr
Irvine said.
'Here in Australia a number of plots have been thwarted. The threat, therefore has always been with us.
'What
has happened in recent months, has been that the events in the Middle
East have increased the level of activity among people who support some
pretty distorted views, extremist violent views.'
The
raids on Thursday come a day after a Sydney-based money transfer
business owned by the sister and brother-in-law of convicted Sydney
terrorist Khaled Sharrouf was shut down amid concerns it was being used
to funnel funds to the Middle East to finance terrorism.
The
Lakemba remittance provider, Bisotel Rieh Pty Ltd, owned by Damour
Sharrouf and her husband Ahmed Alwash, was suspended after they could
not account for millions of dollars transferred to Turkey and Lebanon.
Police involved in the counter-terrorism raid on a unit block in Wentworthville, Sydney
Residents were shocked to find a huge police presence on their street when they woke up
The operation is bigger than Operation Pendennis in 2005
Police have revealed aerial footage of the moment they caught the terror suspects
Fifteen warrants have been undertaken at Sydney premises, with a further 10 warrants undertaken in relation to vehicles
The 12 locations where raids took place across Sydney's northwest
The
move comes amid growing concerns that some Australians have been
sending money overseas to support terrorist organisations, such as the
Islamic State.
While
about 60 Australians are fighting in Iraq and Syria with groups such as
Islamic State, another 100 are believed to be providing support from
Australia.
The
size of Thursday’s raid is reportedly larger than those carried out in
2005 when hundreds of AFP, ASIO and NSW police arrested 13 men who had
been planning bomb attacks in Melbourne and Sydney.
More to follow
A
Sydney-based money transfer business owned by the sister and
brother-in-law of convicted Sydney terrorist Khaled Sharrouf was shut
down on Thursday
About 60 Australians, including Khaled Sharrouf (pictured), are fighting in Iraq and Syria with groups such as Islamic State
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