Suspected Sydney bomb plotter captured in Iraq along with Australian IS fighter
AN ISLAMIC State commander suspected of plotting to blow up a passenger plane from Sydney has been captured in Iraq along with an Australian IS fighter (pictured).
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AN ISLAMIC State commander suspected of plotting to blow up a passenger plane from Sydney has been reportedly captured in Iraq along with an Australian IS fighter.
Australian officials have revealed that Islamic State commander Tarek Khayat and his Australia relative, IS fighter Ahmed Merhi, were detained earlier this year.
According to the ABC, news of the arrests were not made public due to diplomatic issues related to the cases.
The Australian Federal Police allege Khayat directed his brothers Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat, who are based in Sydney, to blow up an Etihad flight from Sydney to Dubai on July 15.
Shocking details of the IS plot have been exposed following Mr Khayat’s capture, including that Australian authorities were unaware of the plot until 11 days after the flight took off.
It’s also reported the plot was only foiled by chance by an Etihad check-in officer at Sydney Airport, who weighed hand-luggage carried by Mr Khayat’s brother, Amer Khayat.
Bombs were reportedly hidden inside a Barbie doll and a meat grinder inside the hand-luggage.
Amer Khayat was arrested in Lebanon last year.
Khaled Khayat, of Lakemba, and Mahmoud Khayat, of Punchbowl, remain in custody.
The details of the plot have been exposed in court documents prepared by the Lebanese military prosecutor on the case against Tarek Khayat.
ABC, which has obtained the documents, reports the Lebanese prosecutors allege Mr Khayat planned the terror attack from his base in the Syrian city of Raqqa as revenge on the west for the deaths of two of his teenage sons in the Syrian war.
Prosecutors allege Mr Khayat put two of his Sydney-based brothers, Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat, in touch with a senior IS fighter in Syria who instructed them on how to make the self-timed bombs which were hidden in their brother Amer’s luggage.
The bombs were removed after the check-in officer weighed his bag,
But the ABC reports Australian authorities only learnt of the plot after they were tipped off by Israel’s renowned military intelligence 11 days later.
Australian police arrested Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat in Sydney on July 29, three days later.
Defence Minister Marise Payne confirmed an Australian was detained by authorities in Iraq but she did not elaborate on whether the person was suspected terrorist ringleader Ahmed Merhi.
Ms Payne said Iraqi authorities had not publicly identified the prisoner, however she did say the Department of Foreign Affairs was providing consular assistance to an Australian citizen detained in Iraq.
“We don’t speculate in intelligence matters but we are very clear we expect those who have joined the conflict (in Iraq and Syria) and those who are in breach of Australian law…to be dealt with according to justice,” she said.
“We are determined to deal with these people as far from our shores as possible and if they do return it is with forewarning and into the hands of Australian authorities.
“The Australian government is committed to ensuring that terrorists who have not been killed in battlefield are brought to justice.”
Ms Payne said she would not comment on whether the government were trying to extradite the Iraqi prisoner, adding the suspect had not faced an Iraqi court.
Although Ms Payne said she would not comment specifically on whether the government would advocate against a probable death sentence, she said it remained “the case that Australia opposes the death penalty.”
Ms Payne advised that the terrorist threat level remained “probable” but insisted the government continued to work with “airport operators to ensure security measures are in place” to protect Australian airports from terrorist attacks.
She said Operation Silves, which prevented an attempt to blow up an Etihad plane with 400 passengers on board, was “one of the most significant counter terrorism operations conducted in Australia (and) was a testament to the work of national law enforcement and security agencies”.