Two men have been arrested after counter-terrorism raids in Sydney, Australian officials said, following long-running investigations into those backing fighters involved in conflicts such as Iraq.
Officers arrested one man on Friday following raids at four properties in Sydney’s southwest that police said were “part of a long-running investigation and not as a result of any specific terrorism threat.” The 33-year-old was arrested and charged with acquiring and possessing ammunition illegally, police said, AFP reported.
Police said the raids were not connected to the 16-hour standoff at a Sydney cafe in mid-December that left the lone gunman, self-styled cleric Man Haron Monis, and two hostages dead.
Moreover, Canadian police arrested two brothers on terrorism-related charges, less than three months after the country suffered attacks -- one of them on the nation’s parliament.
Ashton Carleton Larmond and Carlos Larmond were charged with counts related to terrorist activities, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement. They were both listed as 24 years old and appear to be twins.
Carlos was apprehended at Montreal’s international airport just before departing to “travel overseas for terrorist purposes”, the police said. Ashton was charged with “facilitating terrorist activity” and participating in a terrorist group.
The arrests come after brutal attacks in France killed 17 people, including 12 people at the French magazine Charlie Hebdo. Police called on Canadians to be vigilant, but did not provide details of the alleged terrorist activity.
