SYDNEY
(Reuters) - Australian counter-terrorism police arrested four people in 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 said the raids by the Joint Counter Terrorism Team in four
suburbs in different parts of the city "relate to an ongoing
investigation."
"Four
men have been taken into custody and are assisting police with their
enquiries," the AFP said in a statement.
The police
declined to provide more detail, saying "further information will be made
available at the appropriate time."
"The
public should be reassured that our security and intelligence agencies are
working tirelessly to keep us safe," Turnbull said.
Australia, a
close 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.
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