An 18-year-old was arrested in Sydney this morning for planning an “imminent” terrorist attack. Attorney-General, George Brandis, said the teenager was allegedly in the process of getting a firearm when he was arrested.

Sophia Wray reports.

TRANSCRIPT

The young man was arrested this morning during raids on Western Sydney properties.

Police allege he was looking at possible sites to launch a terror attack and attempting to acquire a firearm.

He’s now facing offences which carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Catherine Burn, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner: “We are still seeing people planning and preparing for such attacks and unfortunately that group of people are getting younger and younger and as we all know youth are vulnerable particularly around the radicalisation.”

It’s not the first time the young man has come to police attention.

In February, he was intercepted at Sydney Airport, allegedly attempting to travel to Syria.

His passport was cancelled.

The Attorney-General says the 18 year old’s been under constant surveillance since then.

George Brandis, Federal Attorney-General: “This is the ninth occasion since the national terrorism alert level was raised in September 2014 that police have successfully intervened to prevent an imminent terrorism event on Australian soil.”

State and Federal police also mounted raids in Melbourne this morning.

They’re linked to the arrest of five men in North Queensland last week.

The men, who were allegedly planning to travel to Syria by boat, have been extradited to Melbourne.

They’re due to appear in court on Thursday.

Sophia Wray, QUT News.