Teens’ ‘links’ to terror suspects

AFTER a two-month operation it has been revealed two teens arrested in counter-terror raids had “clear links” to terror suspects.

TWO teens arrested by counter terror police over an alleged gun and drug supply operation will stay behind bars until at least Thursday.

Bilal Alameddine and Samimjan Azari, both 18, did not apply for bail today when they faced Parramatta Bail Court after being arrested in dramatic police raids on Friday night.

While police said the teen’s alleged operation was not directly related to terrorism, they both had “clear links” to terror suspects.

NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team Police have arrested two men for alleged drug and gun supply offences in raids overnight.

Both were arrested at 6.15pm in the Lidcombe area in what was the culmination of a two-month investigation known as Strike Force Rosenborg, where it is alleged that undercover operatives infiltrated the group and bought guns and drugs off the teens.

At today’s press conference, Deputy NSW Police Commissioner Dave Hudson said police purchased a total of seven firearms and a large amount of cocaine from the teens over the two months.

This included three pistols, two shortened rifles, three rifles and 21 ounces of cocaine, Mr Hudson said.

In later raids on properties at Merrylands and Toongabbie, police allegedly found cash, more guns and drugs, and an imitation police vest.

Two Sydney teenagers were arrested in the raid last night.

Both men were taken to Bankstown Police Station where they were charged with 17 offences each.

This includes unlawfully selling a firearm three times or more, three counts of supplying a firearm to a person not authorised to possess it and two counts of supplying a pistol.

They were also charged with four counts of supplying drugs on an ongoing basis and supplying drugs greater than or equal to a commercial supply.

“There are clear links between the suspects, criminal elements and terrorist elements,” Mr Hudson said “This is a clear crossover between criminality and terrorism.”

Samimjan Azari is the younger brother of Omarjan Azari who is set to stand trial accused of conspiring to behead someone in public in the name of extremist Islam.

A police vehicle is parked near one of the raid areas.

Bilal Alameddine is a relative of Talal Alameddine who is accused of being part of the plot to give the gun used to kill police employee Curtis Cheng to 15-year-old killer Farhad Jabar.

It is understood police will allege the teens were selling the guns and drugs out of locations, including cars, to people they had no idea were undercover police operatives.

Mr Hudson said both teens’ homes had been under attention previously for illegal activity and that they came to police attention during the course of another investigation.

“We monitor a large amount of individuals in the community we have suspicions over in relation to terror activity,” Mr Hudson said. “These targets came up on the periphery of that. We took the opportunity to purchase firearms they’d offered for sale.”

After commencing the operation last September, Mr Hudson said the investigation “went into high activity beginning in May.

“A very long period in jail awaits these two if they are convicted,” Mr Hudson said.

The operation was a joint investigation with the counter terrorism task force, involving NSW Police and Commonwealth agencies

In court, the lawyer for the two men, Abdul Saddick, said neither would apply for bail.

Appearing on an audio visual screen from a jail cell in Penrith, both men waved to at least seven supporters in the public gallery.

Magistrate George Abood ordered both men to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Thursday.

Map shows raid areas.

It comes just weeks after state and federal counter-terror cops stopped a western Sydney man they allege had been radicalised online from boarding a plane to fight with Islamic State.

Moudasser Taleb, 22, was arrested and taken to Mascot police station after he took a taxi to the airport on June 15, where police allege he intended to buy a one-way ticket to Lebanon or Turkey.

From there, they believe he wanted to find his way into Syria and take up arms with the terror group.

He was charged with one count of “preparations for incursions into foreign countries for purpose of engaging in hostile activities”.

Last week, heavy duty barriers were installed in Martin Place, making the plaza outside the site of the Lindt cafe siege impenetrable to cars and trucks.

Police and intelligence services are on high alert after devastating terrorist massacres in London, Nice and Germany.

Originally published as Teens’ ‘links’ to terror suspects