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CANBERRA, Australia – Three men inspired by the Islamic State group were accused Tuesday of planning an attack involving many victims in Australia's second largest city, police said.
Australian citizens of Turkish origin were arrested at home in Melbourne, said Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton. All had their passports canceled this year for security reasons.
Ashton said the trio had sent encrypted messages, which prevented the police from determining when and where the attack was to take place.
"While a specific place was not yet finalized, there was a view to an overcrowded place," where they could kill more victims, Ashton told reporters.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Ross Guenther said the men were trying to acquire 0.22 semi-automatic rifles. Semi-automatic rifles are virtually banned from public ownership under the severe Australian firearms legislation designed to reduce large-scale shooting.
Victoria Prime Minister Daniel Andrews thanked federal and federal police and security agencies for endangering the safety of the public.
"The gravity of this potential incident should not be underestimated," said Andrews.
The men – 21, 26 and 30 – will appear Tuesday in a Melbourne court, accused of having acted in anticipation of a terrorist attack. Any of them could be sentenced to life imprisonment if he was found guilty.
There is no connection between the latest conspiracy and other attacks and plots in Melbourne. Police described a deadly attack in the central business district of the city on Nov. 9 as a terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State. The attacker was shot dead by police after killing a 74-year-old man and wounding two others. He had planned to set off an explosion in his burning truck loaded with cans of gasoline. The Australian born in Somalia had his passport canceled in 2015.
The deceased man, the famous cafe Sisto Malaspina, was buried on Tuesday.
Deputy Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, Ian McCartney, said that 90 people have been charged with 40 anti-terrorism investigations since the level of terrorist threat in Australia was raised in September 2014.
"If we had not acted early to prevent this attack, we would argue that the consequences would have resulted in a potential … loss of life," McCartney said of the latest plot.
Four men were also convicted of planning a terrorist attack in downtown Melbourne around Christmas 2016.
Last month, Ibrahim Abbas was sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to prepare for a terrorist attack involving explosives and knives at Federation Square, a popular restaurant in the center of the city. city.
Abbas had been a witness against his brother Hamza Abbas and co-conspirators Ahmed Mohamed and Abdullah Chaarani. They were convicted of terrorism-related offenses three weeks ago, but they have still not been sentenced.
