MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Australian police arrested five teenagers in the country’s second-largest city yesterday over an alleged terrorist plot to target police officers, authorities said.
The five teenagers were arrested in an operation in suburban Melbourne carried out early in the morning by Victorian state police and the Australian Federal Police. Searches were still continuing in the south-east of the city, said the statement, issued jointly by the two forces.
Two 18-year-olds have been arrested regarding alleged terrorism-related offences. A third 18-year-old has been arrested in relation to alleged weapons offences, while two other teens aged 18 and 19 are in custody and assisting police with their enquiries. All five are from suburbs in the city’s far southeast.
“It is alleged the men were undertaking preparations for planning a terrorist act in Australia, which included targeting police officers,” the statement said.