Fifteen people were arrested in Australia Thursday after officials obtained intelligence data suggesting that members of the Islamic State planned on performing “public beheadings” to demonstrate their presence in other areas of the world.

An estimated 800 police officials conducted the counterterrorism raids in the city of Sydney to foil the terrorist plot, Fox News reported.

Australian’s are worried about the radicalization of members in their Muslim community, and they’re not sure how many of their citizens are collaborating with the Islamic State militants.

According to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, someone affiliated with the terrorist organization told members of the Islamic State in Australia to “horrify” the public by kidnapping members of the public and beheading them.

“The exhortations, quite direct exhortations, were coming from an Australian who is apparently quite senior in ISIL to networks of support back in Australia to conduct demonstration killings here in this country,” Abbott said.

CNN report:

While the main suspect remains unnamed, authorities named Mohammad Ali Baryalei as a co-conspirator. He’s believed to be the “most senior member” of the terrorist organization in Australia, and authorities have issues a warrant for his arrest, Fox News confirmed.

This was largest preemptive raid in Australian history, according to Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Andrew Colvin.

In a statement to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Attorney General George Brandis said the police raids stopped a potential tragedy.

“If the … police had not acted today, there is a likelihood that this would have happened,” Brandis said.

Prime Minister Abbot also announced that the country is now under a “high” terrorist alert.

Twitter users were shocked. Here’s a sample:

FOX stating as fact that an “ISIS behading plot” was thwarted in Australia…. So the US should worry it could happen here.

— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) September 18, 2014

@RedNationRising Australia is an island nation yet they let them into the country. Wrong decision. Now paying for it. All are at risk. — Dawn Of Destruction? (@kooka64) September 18, 2014

@THEHermanCain Think it’s safe to say that the Australia gun buy back program didn’t help to prevent this.

— Jerry D Mitchell Jr (@Jrry818205) September 18, 2014

Sounds like a 24 episode: In Australia today, ISIS apparently planned to grab a random person off the street http://t.co/yEeHGWhetT — Herman Cain (@THEHermanCain) September 18, 2014

@THEHermanCain One more example why the right to be armed is a universal human right.

— Freedom Project (@Think4Liberty) September 18, 2014

Oh, ISIS was going to behead random people in the streets of Australia? Protip: Americans carry guns. #2A — Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) September 18, 2014

@iowahawkblog @AndrewGatward IT’S SPREADING ALL OVER THE WORLD!..ISIS MUST BE DESTROYED…FOR GOOD THIS TIME!!!

— Paula L. Florentine (@pflorentine1) September 18, 2014

PM @TonyAbbottMHR on ISIS movement – “It’s a death cult, reaching out to countries such as Australia” #9News — Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) September 14, 2014

• Author
• Recent Posts

Hannah Bleau

Steered right by what she calls the "radical leftist rhetoric" in college, Hannah is a contributor for multiple media outlets and passionate about American politics.

Latest posts by Hannah Bleau (see all)

• He’s Obama’s ‘boy’; Sharpton invited to counsel Obama after election loss - November 8, 2014
• Can Crist attract millennial voters with his questionable ‘strip club’ past? - November 1, 2014
• NYC news anchor under fire for bizarre ‘don’t eat poop’ Ebola advice - October 24, 2014

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.