Family of man arrested in Melbourne anti-terror raids were warned last year their son was communicating with ISIS recruiter - after police foil planned ANZAC Day attack
Five men arrested as part of massive anti-terrorism raids in Melbourne ASIO warned families of the men they were targeted by ISIS recruiter Sevdet Besim charged with committing acts to prepare for terrorist acts- Police allege the men planned to target an Anzac Day ceremony
- It is thought police and public would be attacked with swords and knives
- Another 18-year-old man was also arrested and remains in custody
- Three men had been released by police late on Saturday night
- More than 200 officers raided seven properties in Melbourne on Saturday
The family of one of the five men arrested as part of massive anti-terrorism raids in Melbourne were warned by police the group were falling victim to Islamic State recruiters.
Ahead of the arrests that stopped an alleged terrorist attack planned for Anzac Day, ASIO contacted the families of some of the would-be killers and cautioned them the men were becoming radicalised.
The family of one suspect said they were last year told to stop their son communicating with the extremist recruiter, who groomed Melbourne terrorist Numan Haider, according to News Corp.
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Search warrants were obtained by police for the south-east Melbourne homes of Sevdet Ramadan Besim, 18, Eathan Oswald Almo Cruse, 19, Ismail Safi, 19, and Mehran Azami, 18, and another man who cannot be identified.
Besim lived in Hallam and Cruse was from Eumemmerring, while Safi and Azami hailed from Narre Warren.
Police said the threat was 'fully contained'.
It is alleged there was a plan in place to attack police and members of the public with swords and knives, which forced police to act.
He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody for a filing hearing on April 24.
Multiple photos of Mr Besim on his social media pages show him posing with one raised index finger, a symbol that other ISIS supporters have also frequently used
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton said the 18-year-old men, from Hallam and Hampton Park, were 'associates' of Abdul Numan Haider, the 18-year-old who was shot dead after stabbing two officers outside a Melbourne police station on September 23.
He is one of
The second teenager is still being interviewed by police who plan to charge him with a number of offences related to preparing for and planning terrorist acts and possessing prohibited items.
A number of 'edged weapons' - including knives and swords - were seized at some of the properties searched.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews dubbed the plans 'simply evil' on Saturday
'It is alleged both men were undertaking preparations for a terrorist attack at an Anzac Day activity in Melbourne which included targeting police officers,' Australian Federal Police Acting Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan said on Saturday morning.
Commissioner Patton later added: 'Some evidence that was collected at a couple of the scenes and some other information we have, leads us to believe that this particular matter was ISIS-inspired.'
A total of five teenagers were arrested as part of the Melbourne Joint Counter Terrorism Team operation named Operation Rising, which saw 200 officers' raid seven properties on Saturday morning.
Three of the men were released by Victoria Police on Saturday evening.
But, according to Australian Federal Police Acting Commissioner Michael Phelan, all five had been on the radar of counter-terrorism investigators.
'Particularly since late last month the investigation ramped up and it became very obvious to us that their plans were specific,' he told reporters in Sydney.
'We received information earlier this week that led us to undertake the resolution today.
Mr Patton added investigations had begun last month.
The teen was interviewed by police all morning before travelling to the Magistrates Court where he was charged
Mr Besim did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody for a filing hearing on April 24
Australian Federal Police Acting Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan (left) confirmed that two 18-year-old men had planned to target Anzac Day activities
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton (pictured) later added that evidence 'collected
Three other men, also aged 18 and 19, were arrested separately in Narre Warren. Pictured: one of the homes in the suburb where police made one of several arrest during terror raids
One 18-year-old man from Narre Warren was charged with weapon
It is understood police chose to execute the search warrants immediately as they 'couldn't be sure that they [the arrested men] wouldn't act earlier'.
An 18-year-old man, from Hampton Park, is also expected to be charged with offences relating to preparing for a terrorist act and remains in custody.
The three other men were released after being questioned for most of Saturday.
It is expected one of them - a third 18-year-old - from Narre Warren will be charged on summons with weapons offences.
The two other Narre Warren men, aged 18 and 19, have been released pending further enquiries.
'I think the entire Australian community should be concerned about the young age of these men, this issue is not just for law enforcements agencies, but the broader community,' Mr Patton said.
'We need intervention strategies to make sure they [young adults] don't go down this path.'
Mr Patton confirmed that the arrested teens were not related, but were 'associates' and some had attended the Al Furqan Islamic study centre in South Springvale.
Mr Patton confirmed that the arrested teens were not related, but were 'associates' and that some had attended the Al Furqan Islamic study centre in South Springvale
Mr Patton said police would charge the two teens with a number of offences including the possession of prohibited items, adding that 'edged weapons' were found at one property (stock images)
Mr Haider, whose body is pictured being taken to the coroner for examination, died when he was shot by officers after stabbing two policemen outside a Melbourne police station on September 23
But he insisted the 'the individuals were acting by themselves and are not representative of any religious, cultural or national group'.
Three of the teenagers are believed to have suffered minor injuries during the arrests and were taken for medical examination, with one man reported to have suffered a head injury.
Searches continued at several addresses throughout Saturday. Police said the investigations were ongoing.
Residents living next door to the homes that were raided in the early hours of the morning have described waking to glass smashing, screams and 'fire-cracker like' noises before seeing lights.
'It woke me up, I heard a whole heap of screaming outside. It kept going for at least 20 minutes. It scared the crap out of me,' one neighbour told the Herald Sun.
'I was woken up through hearing the car doors everywhere and the police telling them to get down,' another said.
Most of the residents said they were shocked by the news of the arrests, describing the teenagers as 'lovely guys', 'nice people' and 'the perfect neighbours'.
Residents living next door to the homes that were raided in the early hours of the morning have described waking to glass smashing, screams and 'fire-cracker like' noises before seeing lights
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (right) and Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan (left) address a media conference in Sydney. Mr Abbott urged all Australians to continue with their Anzac Day celebration plans as normal
Prime Minister Tony Abbott urged all Australians to continue with their Anzac Day celebration plans as normal during a conference in Sydney.
'We've had this serious threat for quite a few months now but we have responded effectively to it at all stages,' he said.
'The best thing you can do in the face of those who would do us harm is to live your life normally, the best sign of defiance that we can give to those who would do us harm is to go about a normal peaceful, free and fair Australian life.'
Increased security measures including a strong police presence will be enforced at all public events across Victoria and the rest of the country on Anzac Day.
'I think the entire Australian community should be concerned about the young age of these men, this issue is not just for law enforcements agencies, but the broader community,' Mr Patton said during a police press conference. Pictured: Mr Haider's funeral
Mr Patton confirmed that the arrested teens were not related but were 'associates', and that some had attended the Al Furqan Islamic study centre in South Springvale. Pictured: Mr Haider
It comes just two months after Sydney house-mates Omar Al-Kutobi, 24, and Mohammad Kiad, 25, were arrested at their Fairfield home just hours before they allegedly planned to carry out a terrorist plot
It comes just two months after Sydney housemates Omar Al-Kutobi, 24, and Mohammad Kiad, 25, were arrested at their Fairfield home just hours before they allegedly planned to carry out a terrorist plot.
Police uncovered a machete, a hunting knife and an Islamic State flag during a raid of their squalid granny flat in western-Sydney.
A video featuring one of the men standing in front of the flag while making threats of carrying out a terrorist attack was also uncovered.
In September of 2014, Australia saw 15 men arrested across Sydney's west and north-west in the country's largest ever terrorism-raids.
More than 800 police officers searched 25 properties in the early hours of the morning with the aim of dismantling a terror-plot to behead a random member of the public.
Omarjan Azari, 22, who was arrested in his Guildford home during the raids, faced court in late February after officers alleged he was involved in the plot. He was refused bail and will reappear on April 29.
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