Senior ISIS commander 'sent bomb parts through air cargo to Sydney'
Australian Federal Police allege a senior ISIS commander sent bomb parts to Sydney through air cargo, which were received by two men charged over an alleged terror plot to bring down a plane.
Commissioner Michael Phelan said it’s alleged the two men, a 49-year-old from Lakemba, Khaled Khayat, and 32-year-old Mahmoud Khayat from Punchbowl, received components to build an improvided explosive device from an ISIS commander and the parts originated in Turkey.
Comm Phelan alleges the men were attempting to place the IED on an Etihad flight out of Sydney on July 15 but said “at no stage did the IED reach airline security”.
“With assistance from the ISIS commander, the accused assembled the IED, the components of it, into what we believe was a functioning IED, to be placed on that flight,” he said.
“The second plot leads to the building of what is called an improvised chemical dispersion device.”
It's alleged the men had received parts from an ISIS commander. Source: Getty Images
Police raided properties over the weekend. Source: AAP
“We will allege that these individuals attempted to create an improvised chemical device, designed to release the highly toxic hydrogen sulphide.”
It’s further alleged “some of the components” had been produced for the “gas dispersion device” but it was a “long way away” from being functional.
“There is no evidence at all that that device was completed,” he said.
The accused face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty.
A third man remains behind bars, held under special anti-terror laws, while police investigations continue. He can be detained until the weekend under the current ruling.
The two men are due to face court today.
Khaled Khayat (pictured) will face court today. Source: 7 News
NSW Commissioner Mick Fuller earlier described the evidence obtained as "very strong". Picture: 7 News
