Defence Minister Marise Payne has confirmed an Australian has been detained in Iraq amid reports two Islamic State (IS) fighters connected to a terror plot to blow up a plane leaving Sydney have been captured, like reported by sbs.com.au.
IS commander and Lebanese citizen Tarek Khayat and his Australian relative Ahmed Merhi were detained earlier this year, senior Australian officials confirmed, the ABC reported on Wednesday.
Ms Payne said while she could not confirm the name of the Australian, it is understood to be Merhi, who holds Australian citizenship.
“We are determined to deal with these people as far from our own shores as possible and if they do return, it is with forewarning and into the hands of Australian authorities,” Ms Payne told reporters.
The pair were in close contact with some of Australia’s most notorious terrorism suspects from Syria but are believed to have moved to Iraq when IS changed territories last year.
Tarek Khayat is alleged to have directed his Sydney-based brothers to smuggle a bomb hidden inside a meat grinder onto an Etihad plane due to depart from Sydney for Abu Dhabi on July 15.
Four men were arrested in late July over the conspiracy.
Two of the four arrested – Khaled Khayat and his brother Mahmoud Khayat – were each charged with two counts of planning or preparing a terrorist act.
A third man, Khaled Merhi, was charged with an unrelated weapons offence, while the fourth was released without charge.
Another Sydney-based brother, Amer Khayat, was alleged to have been carrying the improvised explosive device – although there are conflicting views on whether he was aware of what it was.
The bomb never made it onto the airliner because it exceeded weight limits at the check-in counter.
A month after the arrests, Lebanon officials said Tarek Khayat had moved to the IS stronghold of Raqqa in Syria and had become a commander in the jihadist group more than 12 months earlier.
Ms Payne said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was providing consular assistance to the Australian.
- Defence Minister Marise Payne has confirmed an Australian has been detained in Iraq amid reports the two Islamic State (IS) fighters connected to a terror plot to blow up a plane leaving Sydney have been captured.
IS commander and Lebanese citizen Tarek Khayat and his Australian relative Ahmed Merhi were detained earlier this year, senior Australian officials confirmed, the ABC reported on Wednesday.
Ms Payne said while she could not confirm the name of the Australian, it is understood to be Merhi, who holds Australian citizenship.
“We are determined to deal with these people as far from our own shores as possible and if they do return, it is with forewarning and into the hands of Australian authorities,” Ms Payne told reporters.
