What we know about Melbourne terror suspects
A modest retro brick unit in Dallas is a far cry from the elegant Blue Mosque in Istanbul. But that didn’t stop one of the men arrested in this morning’s terror raids creating the fantasy.
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A modest retro brick unit in Dallas is a far cry from the elegant Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
But that didn’t stop one of the men arrested in this morning’s terror raids creating the fantasy.
Ertunc Eriklioglu had stopped attending the local Broadmeadows mosque after his views became more extreme.
He established a mosque at his Dallas home, which he called the Blue Mosque.
TERROR PLOT TO ‘KILL AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE’
PREMIER SLAMMED FOR JOINING TERROR CONFERENCE
It was named after the famous mosque in Istanbul, known as the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles surrounding the interior walls. It was built between 1609 and 1616.
The Herald Sun has been told the family of one of the other suspects is well respected and secular and they are devastated by today’s events.
Hanifi Halis, 21, of Greenvale, Ertunc Eriklioglu, 30, of Dallas and Samed Eriklioglu, 26, of Campbellfield have been charged with one count each of act in preparation for, or planning of terrorist acts.
Further to below, please be advised the 30-year-old man from Dallas and 26-year-old man from Campbellfield have now also been charged with one count each of act in preparation for, or planning of terrorist acts. It is expected they will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court this afternoon
DALLAS SUSPECT
Neighbours said Ertunc Eriklioglu, 30, has a wife and two young children, including a newborn.
It is understood he worked as a painter up until six months ago when he was injured falling from a ladder.
His brother, Samed Eriklioglu, is also one of the men charged after the raids.
Neighbour, Zubair Mohamed, said Ertunc Eriklioglu had stopped attending the nearby Broadmeadows Mosque about two years ago and had been praying at his home with others.
“We used to (hang out). We would all go to the mosque to pray and the have coffee but for the past two years he doesn’t go anywhere and prays at home with a few friends,” he said.
“I don’t agree with that.
“We don’t pray to any group. We pray to one god.
“I told him what you are doing it wrong … there is a mosque.”
His brother, Samed Eriklioglu was one of the men who prayed at Ertunc Eriklioglu’s home.
Mr Mohamed described his behaviour over the past two years as “strange.”
A woman, believed to be the wife of Ertunc Eriklioglu, said she did not know about the alleged terror plot.
“I don’t know anything,” she said from behind her door.
Asked if she was okay, she replied: “I am not.”
“I am not in the mood to talk.
“I don’t know what happened.”
A woman made rude gestures toward the media as she visited the Dallas home.
She declined to comment about the raids and said: “You guys are cockroaches.”
Police at the scene confirmed the man’s family have no involvement in the alleged terror plot.
“They have been highly cooperative with the searches,” the officer said.
A bedroom with a cot can be seen through another front window, of the brick unit following this morning’s raid.
A sign on the front door says: “In the name of Allah we enter, in the name of Allah we leave, and in the Lord we depend.”
— Aneeka Simonis
CAMPBELLFIELD SUSPECT
Samed Eriklioglu, 26, had recently started his own gardening business.
Samed Eriklioglu had been offering yard cleaning and lawnmowing through his business Good as Gold Gardening.
Yesterday, he was advertising home goods on second-hand sales sites.
In earlier posts he had advertised a road bicycle and a silver Mazda 3 car.
Photos posted yesterday to sales websites of second-hand rugs he was selling show a modest and neat lounge room with timber floors, a steam mop standing against a wall.
Hours later the furniture would be upturned down by terror investigators in early morning raids.
Other social media posts he shared religious verses, inspirational quotes about having patience, and tips for controlling habits including by using cold water to shock the genitals when sexual desire grows.
But in another post, on November 2, Mr Eriklioglu shared a photo of a pocket watch with a verse from the Quaran
Neighbours of heard screams about 3.30am as police swooped on his Cambellfield home.
“I heard a lady screaming,” the female neighbour who wanted to remain anonymous said.
“I heard bangs and screaming and a dog barking.”
Tim Sandor, 50, went to primary school with Samed Eriklioglu’s father and has known the family for more than 40 years.
He heard the raid unfold this morning and was told to stay inside.
“They we’re breaking through the back door,” he said.
“They were hanging out at the back — I heard the sheds banging.”
Mr Sandor said he through the parents were being interviewed all morning in the backyard.
The Herald Sun understands Samed Eriklioglu lives at the property with his parents and a grandparent.
Samed Eriklioglu’s next door neighbour said she had known the suspect for most of his life and was shocked at today’s development.
“I don’t believe it because we’ve been 20 years neighbours,” the woman who did not want her name published said.
“Only god knows.”
Another neighbour said the young man seemed isolated from the community.
“He doesn’t have any friends,” she said.
“It’s very sad.
“I feel sorry for their Mum.”
FATHER CLAIMS SONS INNOCENT
The father of two of the accused terror plotters has declared his sons are “innocent” and they do not even know how to use a weapon.
Armagan Eriklioglu, the father of Samed, 26, and Ertunc, 30, denied his sons had been plotting a mass murder attack, or that they had been radicalised by Islamic State.
“They don’t like Islamic State,” he said.
“They listen to the scholars like me, but no, not Islamic State and never would attack in Australia, no way.”
Police allege the brothers and co-accused Hanifi Halis, 21, tried to get a .22 semiautomatic rifle as part of a plan to kill as many people as possible.
However Mr Eriklioglu said his son’s wouldn’t even know how to use a firearm.
“They don’t known even how to use a weapon,” he said.
“They didn’t go to the army.”
He insisted he was with his sons “all the time” and that they were not using encrypted phone technology to plot a mass casualty attack.
“I’m in a group, in a Whatsapp group as well, chatting,” he said.
“No planning an attack.”
Mr Eriklioglu said he and his sons believed Islamic State was an invention of the US government.
“ISIS has been created by the USA,” he said.
“He (Samed) always said that the United States built that ISIS up, they are the ones who made it up.
“I say that too.”
He confirmed family members’ passports had been cancelled earlier this year ahead of a planned trip to Turkey because of “suspicious things.”
The family had last travelled to Turkey and the Middle East two years ago.
It was around this time the brothers stopped attending the local mosque, according to a neighbour.
He said they had isolated themselves from the community and were worshipping in private in Ertunc’s home — the so-called ‘Blue Mosque” — in Dallas.
“A few months ago they cancelled our passports as well,” said Mr Eriklioglu.
“They were going to travel to Turkey.
“He was going to marry, Samed … in Turkey.”
Mr Eriklioglu said his youngest son lived in a bungalow out the back of his Gentles Ave, Campbellfield family home with his grandma.
It was one of four properties raided by counter-terror police early on Tuesday.
Mr Eriklioglu said two Qurans and a computer were among the items seized.
“They tied me up, put me onto the floor and put a gun at me, my wife as well,” he said.
— Tamsin Rose
GREENVALE SUSPECT
Hanifi Halis, 21, of Greenvale, has been charged with one count of act in preparation for, or planning of terrorist acts.
Neighbours say he was working as a mechanic before he was arrested
“He had a Toyota badge on his shirt,” a neighbour said.
“I didn’t try to mix with them, I don’t want trouble.”
Four police left in an unmarked car shortly before midday.
Police have now removed tape from the front of the property.
Neighbours said Mr Halis had grown a long beard and was regularly seen wearing long flowing clothes.
A Ford sedan, which has front end damage, was outside the property.
The airbag had been deployed and the windscreen was also damaged.
The car did not have number plates.
A source said the car had been there for three months.
The house was occupied by two sons, a mother and father and a grandparent, a neighbour said.
Police tape surrounded the front yard this morning.
— Stephen Drill