Counter-terror police raid Melbourne homes linked to IS ‘doctor’

AFP officers have raided two Melbourne homes linked to an Australian IS recruit who has appeared in propaganda material promoting the terror group.

COUNTER-TERRORISM officers have raided two Melbourne homes reportedly linked to an Australian man who has appeared in Islamic State propaganda after fleeing to Syria.

Mohomed Unais Mohamed Ameen is believed to have travelled to Syria in 2014, after being identified by Australian authorities as an Islamic State sympathiser.

The ABC reports two properties searched on Thursday morning, in the northern suburbs of Meadow Heights and Craigieburn, are believed to be those of Ameen’s two ex-wives.

Australian Federal Police have not commented on outcomes of the raid, confirming only it had “conducted operational activity” in the areas.

Ameen last year appeared in an IS video promoting a hospital in Syria, where he preached the “world class” health care that was on offer.

Though the 41-year-old IS supporter’s involvement in the terror outfit has until now not been widely publicised, the video he appeared in was widely reported focusing on South Australian doctor Tareq Kamleh, who also appealed for new recruits.

Despite having no recorded medical training, Ameen, who was born in Sri-Lanka, claimed to work in the hospital’s physiotherapy department, treating up to 500 patients each week.

“We have staff from many other countries, physiotherapy doctors from Russia, physiotherapy doctors from Sham, physiotherapy doctors from Australia, from Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and that a few countries to be named,” he says in the video.

“We have female physiotherapy doctors separately for physiotherapy for females, and for the children. I would like to take this opportunity, call my brothers and sisters who have the medical background, medical knowledge, who [are] qualified or semi-qualified.”

Ameen is believed to have obtained a diploma of sports coaching after arriving in Australia as a student in 2001, and gaining citizenship after marrying an Australian woman.

AFP officers has advised its investigation is ongoing.