Australia charges five men over foiled 'terror plot'
Australia charges five men over foiled 'terror plot'
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Wednesday, 05, Aug 2009 12:05
Australian officials have charged five men with planning a suicide terror attack on a military base in Sydney.
Wissam Mahmoud Fattal, 33, refused to stand when he appeared at Melbourne magistrates' court earlier today, shouting angrily as he was led away.
Addressing the magistrate, he cried: "You call us terrorists when you send troops to kill innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I've never killed anyone in my life... take me from this country."
According to the AFP news agency, Saney Aweys, 26, Yacqub Khayre, 22, and Abdirahman Ahmed, 25, also appeared in court on Wednesday charged with preparing the attack on the Sydney base or helping someone engage in hostile acts overseas.
A fifth man, Nayef El Sayed, 25, appeared in court a day earlier, charged with terrorism offences.
Police claim the men had been plotting to attack the base in an armed attack, in what would have been the country's worst militant attack.
Nineteen properties were searched by more than 400 officers in dawn raids across Melbourne on Tuesday morning, the culmination of a seven-month investigation.
Reports suggest that those subsequently arrested include Australian nationals of Somali and Lebanese descent.
Commenting on the arrests earlier this week, Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd said they offered a "reminder to all Australians that the threat of terrorism is alive and well".
Police have said those arrested may be linked to the Somali-based al-Shabab group, which the United States suggests has proven links to al-Qaida.