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A “SIGNIFICANT” ISLAMIC State-inspired Christmas Day terror plot targeting central Melbourne with explosives has been foiled after a series of arrests in raids across the Australian city according to police.
Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton alleged those detained planned to also use knives and a gun to attack busy locations including Flinders Street train station, Federation Square and St Paul’s Cathedral.
“Over the last fortnight… we have had to conduct a criminal investigation relating to the formation of what we believe was a terrorist plot,” he told a news conference.
We believe that there was an intention to conduct what we call a multi-mode attack, possibly on Christmas Day.
The attack that we will allege was being planned, we believe was going to involve an explosive event, the use of explosives, and we gathered evidence to support that.
The targets of the alleged attack are all in the heart of the city, occupying three corners of arguably Melbourne’s best-known intersection which is often packed with locals and tourists.
It is only a short distance from the Melbourne Cricket Ground where up to 100,000 people are expected to attend the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan, and close to the site of the Australian Grand Slam tennis tournament that starts in January.
Arrests
Of the seven arrested this morning in raids involving 400 heavily armed police, five men remain in custody after two were released without charge. All had been under surveillance for weeks.
Ashton said four of them were Australian-born, of Lebanese background, with the fifth an Egyptian-born Australian citizen, all in their 20s.
“Certainly these are self-radicalised, we believe, but inspired by Isis and Isis propaganda,” he said, referring to the jihadist group.
If this had got under our guard this would have been a significant attack, we believe. No doubt about that.
He added: “A substantial number of people could have been injured in the attack, from what we’ve seen. Certainly potential for quite a number of people to be injured or killed in this attack.”
‘No longer a threat’
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The foiled plot comes with security on heightened alert in Australia after a truck drove into a Christmas market in Berlin this week, killing 12 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State.
On Wednesday in the Australian capital Canberra, a van laden with gas cylinders exploded outside the headquarters of an Australian Christian lobby group, although police said it was not being treated as terror-related.
Ashton said there was no evidence to suggest the Melbourne attackers planned to use a truck or other vehicles.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said a potential disaster had been averted and praised police and security services.
“This is one of the most substantial terrorist plots that have been disrupted over the last several years,” he said in Sydney.
We are approaching the Christmas season, a time when we come together in peace and love, with our families.
“These terrorists sought to disrupt it. They have been thwarted. They are in custody. They are no longer a threat to Australians’ security.”
Twelve terror attacks have now been prevented on home soil in the past two years, according to Australian officials. But four have taken place, including the murder of a Sydney police employee last year.
Counter-terror police have made a large number of arrests since late 2014, with the youth and depth of radicalisation of many of those detained a growing concern.
Earlier this month, the government passed legislation allowing high-risk terror offenders to be kept in jail even after serving their sentences.
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Great news more passengers = more jobs
Let the market find its own level…number 1 rule
I was waiting for a Ryanair response, and fortunately it’s positive.
Well done Ryanair.
? The government scrapped the tax not Ryanair.
I’m well aware of that Anthony.
I am congratulating Ryanair on their commitment to an extra million passengers.
I’m well aware of that Anthony.
I am congratulating Ryanair on their commitment to an extra million passengers,
It’s a big commitment to make.
And without Ryanair’s constant criticism of the tax, this would never have happened. There’s NO WAY the government would have done it themselves. Kudos Ryanair.
Good news from Ryanair. They will need more destinations and routes as well if they are going to get the extra million. I wonder if they are ready to make the jump across the Atlantic? There are millions of Irish Americans and Irish Canadians who would visit Ireland but cant afford the flights.
You mean Americans and Canadians.
No fan of Michael O Leary but at least he pays his taxes in Ireland unlike the media darlings of Dennis O Brien JP Mc manus Bono etc who don’t
So does that mean that you don’t claim any tax credits, or any tax relief of any form?
I pay my taxes and yes I do claim my credits like any other worker be they self employed or paye but I do object to people who live as tax exiles whilst maintaing a life in this country, they used the resources of government (schools roads etc)whilst growing up and developing there business so why cant they pay their share now
Please stop peddling this boring line. O’Leary pays his taxes here because he lives here. If he preferred Portugal he would live there.
Do you really think he pays tax here because he wants to? He pays his tax here because he wants to live here.
As does Bono by the way. Bono is not a tax exile. Get your facts right.
Flew with ryanair twice this week, the attitude has certainly changed. Staff smiled and the pilot came on the intercom and chatted away thanking passengers profusely for queueing quickly and allowing them to take off and land on time.
Seriously, can €3 really have that much of an effect?
Going on a holiday is going to be determined by €3?
When your profits are less than €7 per passenger, €3 is a huge amount.
If you have a plane with 250 passengers at 3 euro it is 750. If it does 3 flights a day (which would be unexceptional) it is 2250
2250 *365 days is 820k a year.
820k a year for one mid size plane. That is how the world looks at reduction. There is more to it all than your own pocket and shopping habits and your street.
So are you saying that Ryanair pays the €3 and doesn’t charge the passenger? I don’t think so. Passenger numbers have gone down since 2009 not because of the tax, but because the people were out of work. I think that €3 would do more if it was left on the price of a flight and didn’t cut more important things like the youngsters benefits.
Have I got this wrong? Is this what the passenger pays or the airline for each passenger?
A Boeing 737-800 can hold 189 pax, not 250! The tax has had a direct affect on pax numbers into Dublin…
Emigration has never been cheaper.
It would be great if Ryanair could scrap a lot of their bullshit when booking flights nothing worse than when your in the process and €€€ keep adding up to the end if the booking. All the same hats off to Michael and Ryanair with all the slagging they are the best low fairs airline going, you just have to be a ruthless passenger to get the deals. And I’m sure this will be a good for tourism too!
Good news. An Increase in tourist market has to be welcomed. Now Ryanair will you negotiate with some Tour Operators and get them to increase the numbers coming to Donegal?
A Derry to Dublin or Cork would also be great seeing as the train doesn’t make it up to Donegal
Oh don’t get me started about trains lol
Tax free air travel from the 1st of April? You must be joking.
Sheesh! Guess it’s too early for an attempt at an April fools joke!
Kerry to Central France, please please please!!!
So many destination faces going to so many places
Where the weather is much better
And the food is so much cheaper.
Airport….. ;-)
Reduce social payments to the youth and scrap airport tax out of the country… Hmmm What are they getting at here?
I hope a Kerry to Birmingham route is on his expansion list! !
Why is it that we pay the extra tax on cigs, drink etc. immediately but must wait till April fools day 2014 to get the travel tax removed…….strange
Ryanair only has low fares from Eastern Europe ! Try book a trip to a popular destination to see what I mean!
It’s called supply and demand. Look it up.
Martin I’m well aware of the principles of supply & demand ya tool, with Ryanair it’s about the passengers on busy routes subsidizing the passengers on half empty planes to “other” destinations !
I doubt Mr. O’Leary would continue with ANY route that was non-profitable. It’s not a government-run airline.
Good news from Ryanair and from the Irish government. If only their northern counterparts were as wise- from Belfast but would much rather use the facilities at Dublin airport which, unlike Belfast, doesn’t resemble a ghost town during the day. And with air passenger duty at around 18 pounds per flight, who wouldn’t make the journey to Dublin?
Caolan…The reason a lot of people travel from NI to Dublin Airport isn’t just the UK travel tax….Last year alone , over 500,000 people from NI used Dublin Airport..The choice of destinations from Dublin is much wider..Transatlantic and longhaul traffic destinations from Dublin include ; New York , Boston , Chicago , Orlando , Washington DC , Philidelphia , Toronto , Montreal…From next year San Francisco will be added,,,
3 euro off tax but will probably be put on charges, will we really see any change to the price? I’m i just been silly???
Chronically pessimistic of the type that can lead to depression. Your not being silly though.
Just remember folks Ryanair workers like so many others are free to receive all irish benefits of our welfare system such as child support etc but the workers pay their income tax in the country of origin. So french air hostess payes in france czech in czech Republic etc so the company dont have to pay their portion of prsi in ireland if at all in any country.
That’s where you’re wrong Ryanair are facing law cases in most of european countries because their crew are employed on Irish contracts( apart from UK) therefore paying their taxes in Ireland and not where based.
Good stuff mon I knew I mixed up the story. So where do ryanair pay their employer prsi?
Unfortunately for their employees they pay it here, in Ireland
There must b a catch somewhere. Will findout in April…
No flights to Pakistan unfortunately.
I wonder if Knock Airport will follow the lead and get rid of their disgraceful exit tax.
It will be interesting to see where the new passengers will originate from?
Its not the 3 Euro tax that is the problem.
Ryanair is only publicity seeking by suggesting it will make a difference abolishing it.
Ryanair has a plethora of fees and extra charges of its own, which make this fee chicken feed.!
The real problem is the fact that The DAA´s own charges add up to 50% of the cost of an airline ticket in some cases.
This charge is, of course, a tax on all passengers in order to pay the impressive bill for both the impressive new terminal at Dublin Airport and the impressive salaries and pensions of all the employees of this semi state Quango.!
well thats another €3 o leary will put on the additional charges by april
have your say