SYDNEY, Australia: Five teenagers were charged with posing an “unacceptable risk” to the public amid a wave of counter-terrorism raids across Sydney on Thursday after hundreds of police swooped on the network.
Police made a string of arrests on Wednesday night as they investigated the “accomplices” of a 16-year-old boy who punched an Assyrian bishop in the face during a speech at a Sydney church last week.
Three of the teenagers were charged Thursday morning with conspiracy to plan or prepare a “terrorist act” and two others with possession of “violent extremist material,” police said.
One of the groups, aged between 14 and 17, was charged with “possessing a knife in a public place”.
More than 400 police officers took part in the search at 13 locations across Sydney.
Police allege the teenagers were “religiously motivated” and part of a “wider network of peers and associates”.
Deputy Police Commissioner Dave Hudson said on Wednesday that the “intense” monitoring of the network had caused alarm and required immediate action. Through his research, he believed there was a possibility of an attack.
Assyrian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was slashed by a 16-year-old suspect during a live sermon last week.
Emmanuel has around 200,000 online followers and has excited many with his criticism of vaccines, quarantines and even Islam for Covid-19.
The National Council of Imams of Australia warned on Thursday that heavy-handed police tactics risked further alienating “disillusioned youth”.
