Australian counter-terrorism force has arrested seven teenagers and questioned five others connected to a 16-year-old charged with a religiously motivated terror attack on a Sydney bishop, Reuters reports.
The operation, which involved 13 raids in Sydney and Goulburn, was a joint effort between state and federal police and the domestic intelligence agency, involving over 400 police and security personnel. The teenagers were taken into custody because they were deemed to pose an “unacceptable risk” to society due to their belief in a violent extremist ideology.
Police assured the public that there was no ongoing threat and that the operation had mitigated any risk of future harm. The arrests come amid heightened tension following a deadly mass stabbing in Bondi and fears of further attacks or reprisals.
