Australia anti-terror police say thwart imminent IS-linked attack

(Agencies) Updated: 2015-02-11 10:15

Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan (R) listens as New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn speaks during a media conference in Sydney February 11, 2015. Australian counter-terrorism police said on Wednesday they had thwarted an imminent attack linked to the Islamic State militant group after arresting two men in Sydney a day earlier. Australia has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown Islamist radicals. It raised its national terror threat level to "high" for the first time in September, when hundreds of police conducted raids after receiving information that a radical group planned to conduct a public beheading. [Photo/Agencies]

SYDNEY - Australian counterterrorism police said on Wednesday they had thwarted an imminent attack linked to the Islamic State militant group after arresting two men in Sydney on Tuesday.

"When we did the search of the premises, a number of items were located, including a machete, a hunting knife, a home-made flag representing the prescribed terrorist organisation IS, and also a video which depicted a man talking about carrying out an attack," New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn told reporters.

"We will allege that both of these men were preparing to do this act yesterday."