2014 Australian counter-terrorism raids

Counter-terrorism raids in 2014 in Australia October 2016 October 2016 On the morning of 18 September 2014, police in Australia carried out the biggest counter-terrorism operation in the nation's history, with over 800 heavily armed officers targeting households in the cities of Sydney and Brisbane. It came days after the Australian government raised the terror threat from medium to high due to concerns about Australian citizens returning to the country after fighting with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).Australian police carry out biggest counter-terrorism raid https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-29248806 18 September 2014 BBC News 18 September 2014 Following the raids, two people were charged, one with terrorism offences and the other for possession of an unauthorised firearm.Counter-terrorism raids: five unanswered questions https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/22/counter-terrorism-raids-leave-some-serious-questions-unanswered 8 October 2014 The Guardian 22 September 2014 One of the two arrestees became one of only two men on remand at the highest security prison in Australia, as he is considered an "AA" security risk.Michael Safi Omarjan Azari to remain in Goulburn's Supermax jail over terrorism charges https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/03/omarjan-azari-to-remain-in-goulburns-supermax-jail-over-terrorism-charges 6 September 2017 The Guardian 3 September 2015 Azari has been classified AA – the state’s highest security rating – and is one of just two people confined inside the Supermax facility while on remand. Raids Authorities raided 25 homes in Bass Hill, Revesby, Regents Park and elsewhere.http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/south-west/terror-raids-in-bass-hill-revesby-and-regents-park-as-part-of-australias-largest-antiterrorism-operation/story-fngr8hxh-1227062458587 Terror raids in Bass Hill, Revesby and Regents Park as part of Australia's largest anti-terrorism operation 19 September 2014 18 September 2014 dailytelegraph.com.au News Corporation The raids were triggered after the interception of one phone call.http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/man-arrested-in-terrorist-raids-appears-in-court-20140918-10imfp.html Man arrested in terrorist raids appears in court Paul Bibby 19 September 2014 18 September 2014 The Sydney Morning Herald Fairfax Media Computers, documents and a firearm were collected during the raid.https://time.com/3395356/australia-isis-asio-terrorism-raids-omarjan-azari-sydney-brisbane/ Australian Police Foil Islamist Terrorist Plot in Country's Largest Ever Raid Ian Lloyd Neubauer 19 September 2014 19 September 2014 Time Fifteen people were detained and eleven people were subsequently charged with terrorism offences.Sydney 'terror targets' identified in seized documents, two men charged http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-24/two-men-arrested-by-counter-terrorism-team-sydney/5986816 27 July 2016 ABC News ABC-Australia 23 December 2014 Allegations Prime Minister Tony Abbott stated that a senior Australian member of ISIL, Mohammad Ali Baryalei, had called for "demonstration killings" including a public beheading. Omarjan Azari, 22, was charged with conspiring to commit these actsAustralia raids over 'Islamic State plot to behead' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-29245611 18 September 2014 BBC News 18 September 2014 and with "attempting to make funds available to a terrorist organization.".Andrew Lynch Nicola McGarrity George Williams Inside Australia's Anti-Terrorism Laws and Trials March 1, 2015 NewSouth https://books.google.com/books?id=svh4CAAAQBAJ&q=Omarjan+Azari&pg=PT63 9781742241951 256 He was held in Australia's maximum security prison, Goulburn Correctional Centre in the High Risk Management Unit, the first person on remand ever sent there,Louise Hall Judge questions why terrorism accused Omarjan Azari is on remand in Supermax http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/judge-questions-why-terrorism-accused-omarjan-azari-is-on-remand-in-supermax-20150820-gj3go3.html 6 September 2017 The Sydney Morning Herald 20 August 2015 Mr Azari became the first person to be held on remand in Supermax. and there are Federal Court "control orders" that prohibit certain people from communicating with him.GINA RUSHTON Sydney man under terror control order will stay behind bars https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/sydney-man-under-terror-control-order-will-stay-behind-bars/news-story/317fcae91b9afc786b483740f54c4477 6 September 2017 The Australian 14 March 2016 subscription The control order named 18 alleged Sydney extremists with whom he is not to associate including those accused of offences in connection with the murder of NSW Police accountant Curtis Cheng outside Parramatta police headquarters in October and Omarjan Azari, 23, who is accused of plotting to murder a random member of the public in the name of Islamic State. Supreme Court trial Prior to his Supreme Court trial, in December 2015 Azari pled guilty to trying to provide funds to Islamic State.Karl Hoerr Sydney man spoke to Islamic State about carrying out attack in Australia, court hears http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-24/sydney-man-spoke-to-islamic-state-about-attack-in-australia/8468346 6 September 2017 ABC 24 April 2017 Sydney man spoke to Islamic State about carrying out attack in Australia, court hearsMan arrested in Sydney raids pleads guilty to sending funds to Isis https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/dec/16/funds-meant-for-isis-was-to-help-fighters-get-from-pakistan-to-syria-sydney-court-hears 6 September 2017 The Guardian 16 December 2015 Omarjan Azari, 22, changes not guilty plea to guilty following evidence from former associate who became a prosecution witness The Supreme Court trial of Azari that had convened in late April 2017CHRIS HOOK OMARJAN AZARI TRIAL OVER TERRORISM PREPARATION CHARGES ABORTED http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/omarjan-azari-trial-over-terrorism-preparation-charges-aborted/news-story/0a23632a9f28070d8108d3f568d5bd68 6 September 2017 The Daily Telegraph 3 May 2017 Talal Alameddine, 24, Milad Atai, 21, and Mustafa Dirani, 23, have been subject to a committal hearing over their alleged role in the murder of Mr Cheng, and featured in stories published by a range of Sydney media including the ABC, the Sydney Morning Herald and The Daily Telegraph. Some of those men would also feature in the Azari trial, she said. was aborted by a Justice, as some of the accused in the separate 2015 Parramatta shooting also figure in the Azari case, and the judge considered the jury may be prejudiced. A new trial for Azari was to begin in November 2017. In 2018 he was found guilty of two terrorism offences, including funding Islamic State. In March 2016 Azari was sentenced to 18 years jail.Mayers Lily Man sentenced to 18 years' jail over plan to behead random Australians https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-29/omarjan-azari-sentenced-to-18-years-jail-for-beheading-plot/10954632 8 December 2024 ABC News Australian Broadcasting Corporation 29 March 2019 en-AU Motivations The cancellation of passports of those wanting to fight overseas for extremists causes as well as resentment towards Australia's role in the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been raised as possible motivations behind the alleged terrorist planning. After the raids, Imraan Husain, an Imam from the Gold Coast, warned that sending troops to the Middle East could marginalise local Muslim youth, especially those who follow jihadists on social media.http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/australia-risks-breeding-more-homegrown-terrorists-by-sending-troops-to-middle-east-warns-muslim-leader/story-fni0cx12-1227064614797 Australia risks breeding more homegrown terrorists by sending troops to Middle East, warns Muslim leader Greg Stoltz 20 September 2014 20 September 2014 The Daily Telegraph News Lmtd Protest Between 200 and 400Allard Tom Muslim community apprehension after raids leads to 'snap protest' http://www.smh.com.au/national/muslim-community-apprehension-after-raids-leads-to-snap-protest-20140918-10iupz.html 19 September 2014 The Sydney Morning Herald 18 September 2014 Muslims in Sydney protested the raids at Lakemba railway station the night after the morning raids. The protesters, organised by Hizb ut-Tahrir, cited "police brutality" and "political hysteria". Wassim Doureihi, a prominent member of the group, said "Let me say clearly even if a single bomb went off even if a thousand bombs went off in this country all it will prove is that Muslims are angry." See also Australia Islam Terrorism in Australia Military intervention against ISIL Operation Okra References Counter-terrorism raids Category:2014 in Sydney Category:Counterterrorism in Australia Category:Crime in Brisbane Category:Crime in Sydney Category:Law enforcement operations against Islamist groups Category:Islamic terrorism in Australia Category:Islamic State terrorist incidents in Australia Category:2014 in Brisbane Category:2014 crimes in Australia Category:Terrorist incidents in Australia in the 2010s