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Australian Police Foil Christmas Day 'Terror Plot'

by Phil Mercer

   SYDNEY --

   Police in Australia say they have prevented a terror attack planned for
   the city of Melbourne on Christmas Day. Five men are in custody.

   The suspects were arrested at properties in suburban Melbourne in the
   Australian state of Victoria. Four of them were Australian-born men in
   their 20s of a Lebanese background, while another was an Australian of
   Egyptian origin. Another man and a woman were detained in the raids,
   but have been released without charge.

   Police have said the alleged plot was inspired by the Islamic State
   militant group. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews described the
   conspiracy as an "act of evil," while investigators said they had
   seized "the makings of an improvised explosive device." It is alleged
   the threat was to prominent locations in Melbourne, Australia's second
   biggest city, including Flinders Street Station and St. Paul's
   Cathedral.

   Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said a violent terrorist
   conspiracy had been disrupted. He added that the international threat
   of extremism was rising.

   "We see around the world the global threat of terrorism; the truck
   attack in Berlin earlier this week and similar attacks - terrorist
   attacks - in so many other places just in the last few weeks, including
   Nigeria, Yemen, Turkey, Somalia, Egypt and Jordan. Islamist terrorism
   is a global challenge that affects us all, but we must not be cowed by
   the terrorists," said Turnbull.

   The arrests follow a long investigation by Victoria Police, the
   Australian Federal Police and the security agencies.

   Security will be increased at prominent locations around Melbourne,
   including the Boxing Day cricket test between Australia and Pakistan,
   which will attract a crowd of around 100,000 people.

   Australia's official domestic terrorism threat level remains at
   probable, which indicates individuals or groups have the intent and
   capability to conduct an attack on home soil.