NSW
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. NSW News
Save
Print
License article

Airport security intensified following Sydney raid on Islamist-inspired terror cell

11 reading now

The state of Australia's airport security has been thrown into question following the dramatic arrest of an Islamist-inspired terrorist cell in Sydney whose members were allegedly plotting to blow up an aircraft.

In a significant departure from the low-tech, lone actor attacks that Islamic State has inspired in Australia, the group of two middle-aged men and their two adult sons were allegedly working on an "elaborate" plot to build an improvised explosive device that could take down a plane.

Up Next

UK's biggest stars deliver comedy in new British Airways safety video

null
Video duration
06:06

More Travel News Videos

null
Video duration
03:04

Sydney arrests: Travellers brace for ...
null
Video duration
06:06

UK's biggest stars deliver comedy in new ...
null
Video duration
00:58

Low-flying plane stuns beachgoers
null
Video duration
00:30

AirAsia flight in new mid-air emergency
More videos

Sydney arrests: Travellers brace for delays

Expect extra airport security checks after the Sydney Joint Counter Terrorism teams conducted anti-terror raids over an alleged planned attack. Vision: Seven News

Bomb squad officers were among dozens of police who raided five properties across Sydney on Saturday evening, smashing their way through glass doors and brick walls and arresting four men.

Fairfax Media understands a home-made bomb was allegedly found in a Surry Hills terrace, possibly to be planted on a commercial flight to the Middle East.

A kitchen mincer was among the items seized from the homes in Surry Hills, Lakemba, Wiley Park and Punchbowl. Police are now investigating whether it was intended to be used as part of the alleged plot.

The operation has forced authorities to implement emergency security arrangements at all major Australian airports.

Advertisement

In Sydney, enhanced security was enacted on Thursday when police received an indication of a possible threat.

The measures, including extra screening and additional checks of cabin and checked baggage, are expected to lead to longer queues and check-in times at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Cairns, Gold Coast and Hobart airports.

"We have taken this threat very seriously," Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin said on Sunday.

"You should infer we think this was credible and there was an intention and quite possibly a capability as well."

Khaled Merhi, Abdul Merhi, Khaled Khayat and Mahmoud Khayat were arrested at the terrace in Surry Hills and units in Renown Avenue and Victoria Road, Punchbowl, and Sproule Street, Lakemba, respectively.

They have family links to each other and links to previous plots and established networks.

Investigators believe that, based on the degree of sophistication of the plot, the group may have had some overseas direction.

Police successfully applied in court on Sunday to extend their interrogation for 24 hours.

By Sunday evening, the court had granted police special detention orders to extend the interrogation period again for up to seven days.

Mr Colvin said searches and questioning would go on for days.

"This is the start of a very long and protracted investigation," he said.

It is understood an operation was being planned last week but police were forced to bring it forward drastically following information from an overseas agency.

"[We] agreed last night was the right time to go," NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said on Sunday.

"The reality with terrorism is that you can't wait. You can't wait till you put the whole puzzle together ... In this case, we risk assess regularly, hourly sometimes, around the clock."

Forensic officers in gas masks combed the properties on Sunday and removed bags of evidence. Mr Colvin said "a number of items of great interest to police" were seized.

"At this time, we don't have a great deal of information on the specific attack, the location, date or time. However, we're investigating information indicating the aviation industry was potentially a target of that attack," he said.

Khaled Merhi, aged in his 50s, was discharged from St Vincent's Hospital on Sunday after sustaining serious head injuries during the raid.

In Lakemba, Mahmoud Khayat, aged in his 30s, was taken away in handcuffs, wearing just a towel around his waist.

Neighbours at three of the five homes said they had seen men in religious robes coming and going in recent weeks.

A Surry Hills resident, Debbie, said she saw a group of men loitering in the street at 6am recently. They came out of Redfern Mosque and walked into the Cleveland Street home that was raided.

On Sproule Street, a resident said he had often seen people in religious gear coming and going from the unit. One night recently, he saw about 10 men arrive at the unit.

A woman who lives above the family said the older man painted her unit a year ago and was "so nice, completely lovely".

Roger Henning, an airport security expert who has led the response to some overseas terrorist incidents, said the alleged plot was entirely possible to carry out.

"Firstly, you don't have to board a plane to do it; secondly, the means to stop it are archaic," he said.

He said an undetectable toothpaste bomb could bring down a plane, as could a small device loaded to a drone.

He said the increase in airport screening was "nonsense".

"There isn't an airport in Australia that is impenetrable," he said. "The best resource is still untapped – the 300,000 people that work at airports. There's no human intelligence."

Since 2014, 70 people have been charged as a result of 31 counter-terrorism operations nationally and 13 plots have been thwarted.

"The primary threat to Australia still remains lone actors but events overnight remind us there is still the ability to have sophisticated plots," Justice Minister Michael Keenan said on Sunday.