The NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) has charged two men in Sydney this evening with terrorism offences.
A 49-year-old Lakemba man and a 32-year-old Punchbowl man have each been charged with two counts of acts done in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act, contrary to section 101.6 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.
Both men are scheduled to appear at Parramatta Court tomorrow morning.
On Saturday, 29 July, four men were arrested in relation to allegations regarding a potential terrorist attack.
A 50-year-old man was released from police custody on Tuesday, 1 August, without charge.
One man remains in police custody under 'specified time' provisions outlined in Section 23DD of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth). This legislation recognises that terrorism investigations are inherently complex and that there can be legitimate reasons for extended periods of detention for suspects in such matters.
A 49-year-old Lakemba man and a 32-year-old Punchbowl man have each been charged with two counts of acts done in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act, contrary to section 101.6 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.
Both men are scheduled to appear at Parramatta Court tomorrow morning.
On Saturday, 29 July, four men were arrested in relation to allegations regarding a potential terrorist attack.
A 50-year-old man was released from police custody on Tuesday, 1 August, without charge.
One man remains in police custody under 'specified time' provisions outlined in Section 23DD of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth). This legislation recognises that terrorism investigations are inherently complex and that there can be legitimate reasons for extended periods of detention for suspects in such matters.
Source: AFP
AFP Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan said:
“the charges are related to two specific events: The first related to an aborted attempt to place an improvised explosive device (IED) on an Etihad flight out of Sydney on the 15th July this year. At no stage the IED reached airline security…
Components of this IED were sent through international air cargo by the ISIS operatives through to the accused men here in Australia
With assistance from the ISIL commander, the accused assembled the IED into what we believe was a functioning IED to be placed on that flight
..A second plot related to the building of an improvised chemical dispersion device to release colourless toxic gas.”
