Sydney terror plot: Lebanon says it helped Australia foil plane bomb plan linked to raids
Lebanese authorities were tracking four men accused of plotting to bring down a passenger plane in Sydney for more than a year, Lebanon’s Interior Minister has confirmed.
PHOTO: A New South Wales policeman stands guard at the back of of a property in Surry Hills in Sydney. (AAP: David Moir)
Nohad Machnouk told reporters in Beirut that his country’s police and intelligence agencies played a major role in foiling the alleged plot to bomb an Etihad flight with an improvised explosive device hidden inside a meat grinder.
Mr Machnouk said the alleged bomb did not make it onto the flight, which departed Sydney for Abu Dhabi on July 15, because the bag the bomb was placed in was seven kilograms above the airline’s weight limit for hand luggage.
“Because of the weight, the operation was cancelled,” he said.
“The cooperation [then] started between Lebanon’s intelligence agency and its counterpart in Australia.
“We gathered solid information with help from our intelligence agency which managed to thwart a large operation to blow up a plane.”
Brothers Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat have been charged with terrorism offences over what Federal Police said was “one of the most sophisticated terror plots attempted on Australian soil”.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) allege a “high military grade” improvised explosive device was built using components which were allegedly sent in air cargo from Turkey to Australia by a senior Islamic State operative.
It will be alleged that the bomb was planted in the luggage of one of the accused’s brothers on the Etihad flight out of Sydney on July 15.
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Australian police have said they did not believe the brother was aware of the plan, but Lebanon’s Interior Minister contradicted that and alleged that the brother was supposed to detonate the improvised bomb about 20 minutes into the flight.
“Intelligence followed on the case and found [the brother] was involved in this act and it appears that he was supposed to carry it out,” Mr Manchouk told reporters in Beirut.
“The sad part is that on that plane, 120 of the 400 passengers were Lebanese.”
Arrests foiled plans to detonate second device: AFP
The AFP allege that following the aborted bomb attempt, one of the accused and the IS operative discussed how to create an improvised chemical device.
Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan said the alleged attackers had precursor chemicals and some components for the hydrogen sulphide bomb, but there was no evidence the device was completed.
Australian authorities will allege the group undertook some experiments, but there were no concrete plans for where and when to use it, although closed crowded spaces such as those on public transport were discussed.
Meanwhile, Mr Manchouk alleged that a fourth brother, Tarek Khayat, is a senior member of the Islamic State group based in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa.
He said that Lebanese intelligence began tracking the brothers when Tarek Khayat first moved to Raqqa.
“For four Lebanese people in Australia to blow up an Emirati flight, the whole world has to be open in fighting terrorism and coordination has to happen 24 hours between all forces to stop these operations as much as possible,” he said.
In a statement, the AFP confirmed it was working closely with Lebanese authorities.
“We have a close and cooperative relationship with the Lebanese authorities and are working closely on this investigation,” an AFP spokesperson said.
“The Australian Government has put specific measures in place to share information on this operation and investigation with our partners to ensure our international counter-terrorism efforts continue to be joined up and as robust as possible.
“We continue to consider all information relevant to this investigation.
“On this basis, we continue to assess, with assistance from our international partners, that the threat posed by the recent plot has been disrupted and contained.
“As this is an ongoing investigation and before the courts in Australia, it is not appropriate to comment on matters in detail.”
