2014 Australian counter-terrorism raids explained

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).[1] Following the raids, two people were charged, one with terrorism offences and the other for possession of an unauthorised firearm.[2] 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.[3]

Raids

Authorities raided 25 homes in Bass Hill, Revesby, Regents Park and elsewhere.[4] The raids were triggered after the interception of one phone call.[5] Computers, documents and a firearm were collected during the raid.[6] Fifteen people were detained and eleven people were subsequently charged with terrorism offences.[7]

Allegations

Prime Minister Tony Abbott stated that a senior Australian member of ISIL had called for "demonstration killings" including a public beheading. Omarjan Azari, 22, was charged with conspiring to commit these acts.[8] Azari was charged with "attempting to make funds available to a terrorist organization.".[9] Azari is held in Australia's maximum security prison, where he became the first person on remand ever sent there,[10] and there are Federal Court orders "control orders" that prohibit certain people from communicating with him.[11]

Supreme Court trial

Prior to his Supreme Court trial, Azari in December 2015, pled guilty to trying to provide funds to Islamic State.[12] [13] The Supreme Court trial of Azari that had convened in late April 2017[14] was aborted by a Justice, as some of the accused in the separate 2015 Parramata shooting also figure in the Azari case, and the judge considered the jury may be prejudiced. A new trial for Azari will begin in November 2017.

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.[6] 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.[15]

Protest

Between 200 and 400[16] Muslims in Sydney protested the raids at Lakemba railway station the night after the morning raids. The protesters, organised by Hizb ut-Tahrir,[16] cited "police brutality" and "political hysteria".[8] 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."[16]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Australian police carry out biggest counter-terrorism raid. 18 September 2014. BBC News. 18 September 2014.
  2. News: Counter-terrorism raids: five unanswered questions . 8 October 2014. The Guardian. 22 September 2014.
  3. News: Michael Safi. Omarjan Azari to remain in Goulburn's 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..
  4. News: 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 .
  5. News: Man arrested in terrorist raids appears in court . Paul Bibby . 19 September 2014 . 18 September 2014 . The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Media .
  6. News: Australian Police Foil Islamist Terrorist Plot in Country's Largest Ever Raid . Ian Lloyd Neubauer . 19 September 2014 . 19 September 2014 . Time .
  7. News: Sydney 'terror targets' identified in seized documents, two men charged . 27 July 2016 . ABC News. ABC-Australia . 23 December 2014.
  8. News: Australia raids over 'Islamic State plot to behead'. 18 September 2014. BBC News. 18 September 2014.
  9. Book: Andrew Lynch. Nicola McGarrity. George Williams. Inside Australia's Anti-Terrorism Laws and Trials. March 1, 2015. NewSouth. 9781742241951. 256.
  10. News: Louise Hall. Judge questions why terrorism accused Omarjan Azari is on remand in Supermax. 6 September 2017. The Sidney Morning Herald. 20 August 2015. Mr Azari became the first person to be held on remand in Supermax..
  11. News: GINA RUSHTON. Sydney man under terror control order will stay behind bars. 6 September 2017. The Australian. 14 March 2016. 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..
  12. News: Karl Hoerr. Sydney man spoke to Islamic State about carrying out attack in Australia, court hears. 6 September 2017. ABC. 24 April 2017. Sydney man spoke to Islamic State about carrying out attack in Australia, court hears.
  13. News: Man arrested in Sydney raids pleads guilty to sending funds to Isis. 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.
  14. News: CHRIS HOOK. OMARJAN AZARI TRIAL OVER TERRORISM PREPARATION CHARGES ABORTED. 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..
  15. News: 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 .
  16. News: Allard. Tom. Muslim community apprehension after raids leads to 'snap protest'. 19 September 2014. The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 September 2014.

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