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Sri Lankan faces terror charge in Australia
SYDNEY, Aug 31, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A Sri Lankan suspected to be linked to the
Islamic State group was Friday charged with terrorism offences for possessing
a document police allege contained plans to target “symbolic locations” in
Sydney.
Mohamed Nizamdeen, 25, was arrested at the University of New South Wales
where he worked after a tip-off by someone who found a notebook allegedly
detailing his plans.
He appeared at the Waverley Local Court Friday and was denied bail.
Australian Federal Police Detective Superintendent Michael McTiernan said
the charges were “serious and significant”.
“It is quite a significant document which requires further analysis,” he
said.
“At this stage there is a number of locations and individuals named in that
document who are potential targets.”
New South Wales police Detective Superintendent Mick Sheehy told reporters
the man was believed to be acting on his own and there was no ongoing threat
to the community.
“They are symbolic locations within Sydney, but that’s about as far as we
would say at this stage,” he added.
Police said Nizamdeen was believed to be affiliated with Islamic State, but
he has not yer been charged with being a member of a terrorist group.
Authorities say more than a dozen terrorist attacks have been prevented in
the past few years, but several have taken place, including a cafe siege in
Sydney in 2014 where two hostages were killed.
BSS/AFP/GMR/1039 hrs