Melbourne Christmas Day 'terror attack' foiled, say Australia police

[nitpicker]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-38411935

Melbourne Christmas Day 'terror attack' foiled, say Australia police
9 hours ago

From the section Australia


Australian police say they have foiled a terror attack planned for Melbourne on Christmas Day. Five men are in custody after early-morning raids on Friday, Victoria Police chief Graham Ashton said.

Mr Ashton said the threat involved "use of explosives" and other weapons including "knives or a firearm". The threat was to prominent city locations including Flinders St Station, Federation Square and St Paul's Cathedral, he said. Mr Ashton said there was no longer a threat to the public.
(snip)

Four of the suspects were Australian-born men in their 20s of a Lebanese background, while the fifth was an Australian of Egyptian origin, Mr Ashton said. He claimed they were "self-radicalised" but inspired by propaganda of the so-called Islamic State. Another man and a woman were arrested in the raids, but later released without charge.

Mr Ashton said the raids on five locations in Melbourne's north and west came after weeks of police surveillance. "We believe that there was an intention to conduct what we call a multi-mode attack, possibly on Christmas Day," he said.
(snip)

Flinders St Station, Federation Square and St Paul's Cathedral occupy three corners of what is arguably Melbourne's most iconic intersection. The area is only a short distance from the Melbourne Cricket Ground where up to 100,000 people are expected to attend the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan. Mr Ashton said police would increase their presence at the MCG and other locations around Melbourne.
(snip)