Sydney - Australian counter-terrorism
police were conducting raids late on Saturday across several
Sydney suburbs aimed at disrupting plans for "terrorist
attacks".
"These operations are designed to disrupt and prevent plans
to undertake terrorist attacks in Australia," Prime Minister
Malcolm Turnbull said in an emailed statement.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) said the raids by the Joint
Counter Terrorism Team in four suburbs in different parts of the
city "relate to an ongoing investigation."
Both Turnbull's office and the AFP declined to provide
further information as the raids were still in progress.
"The public should be reassured that our security and
intelligence agencies are working tirelessly to keep us safe,"
Turnbull said.
Australia, a staunch ally of the United States, has been on
heightened alert for attacks by home-grown militants returning
from fighting in the Middle East, or their supporters, since
2014.
Authorities say they have thwarted a number of potential
attacks since then, but there have been several "lone wolf"
assaults, including a cafe siege in Sydney that left two
hostages and the gunman dead.
About 100 people have left Australia for Syria to fight
alongside organizations such as Islamic State, Australia's
Immigration Minister said last month.
Australian newspaper publisher News Ltd reported up to 40
riot squad officers were seen swooping on a house in the inner
city suburb of Surry Hills.