Reader’s Links, Nov. 19, 2018

Daily Links Post graphic

In order to preserve the flow of conversation about various posted items, and also in order to make it easier for visitors to find the list of related links being shared by other readers, regulars and interested parties in one place, each day a post is automatically created at a minute past midnight ET.

This way, under the various posts of the day, conversation can take place without as much ‘noise’ on the various links and articles and ideas in the main posts and all the news links being submitted can be seen under these auto-posts by clicking on the comments-link right below these ones.

Thank you all for those that take the effort to assist this site in keeping the public informed. Below, typically people can find the latest enemy propaganda, news items of related materials from multiple countries and languages, op-eds from many excellent sites who write on our topics, geopolitics and immigration issues and so on.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

152 Replies to “Reader’s Links, Nov. 19, 2018”

  1. Turkish Radio and Television – TRT- Mohammed bin Salman’s legacy in 5 minutes

    This is what Mohammed Bin Salman has been up to since he became the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. The CIA says Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But this is not the first time he’s making headlines for the wrong reasons.

  2. MEMRI TV – Texas Imam: Shame on American Muslims Who Do Not Vote Because They Say This Is the Land Of Infidels

    Texas Imam Nadim Bashir said that there are Muslim community members who avoid voting by making the excuse that the U.S. is an infidel country with infidel laws.

    He said that these people misunderstand the Quran and the Sunnah, and that they are living in the wrong place and should be ashamed if that is their argument.

    Imam Bashir said: “You live in this land, you use the money of this land, you raise your children in this land, and you benefit from here, because you know what’s going on overseas and you don’t want to raise your children over there, and then this is the excuse that you provide?

    Shame on you.” Imam Bashir was born in Florida and preaches at the East Plano Islamic Center (“EPIC Masjid”) in Plano, TX. His remarks were streamed live on the EPICMASJID YouTube channel on November 2, 2018.

    • AND – spied on _American Jews_ campaigning against the Iran Deal. Probably got some Kompromat, used it as leverage in unusual ways.

      – – Why did Bret Stephens change so radically overnight?
      Moving from the WSJ to the NYT, he turned against former colleagues like Caroline Glick. Assorted betrayals, cloaked as a virulent NeverTrumper.

  3. Linda Sarsour Says Ilhan Omar Backlash Shows ‘Allegiance To Israel’
    November 16, 2018 By Alyssa Fisher

    Palestinian-American civil rights activist Linda Sarsour claimed in a Facebook post Thursday that the controversy surrounding Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar’s announcement that she supports the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement is coming from “folks who masquerade as progressives but always choose their allegiance to Israel over their commitment to democracy and free speech.”

    Read more: https://forward.com/fast-forward/414393/linda-sarsour-says-ilhan-omar-backlash-shows-allegiance-to-israel/

    https://forward.com/fast-forward/414393/linda-sarsour-says-ilhan-omar-backlash-shows-allegiance-to-israel/

    • The Forward used to be the Jewish Forward.
      Peeled off its identity and its sympathies at the same time.

      Now it poses as Jew-ish to trash Judaism and Israel. So it’s quoted in the NYT, the New Yorker, etc. Authors belong to the Demonrats’ cool-kids club.

  4. Saddam Hussein memorial plaque appears on London bench (BBC, Nov 19, 2018)
    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-46265117

    “A Saddam Hussein memorial plaque that appeared on an east London bench has been removed.

    It read: “In Loving Memory of Saddam Hussein” and it is not clear who left it there or what their intention was.

    Wanstead resident Victoria Richards told the BBC it appeared on the bench on Sunday.

    Local residents saw it and “expressed their outrage” on a community Facebook page, she said.

    Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, born in April 1937, was hanged in 2006 for crimes against humanity. His rule was characterised by a mixture of brutality, megalomania and paranoia.

    ‘Frivolous, dark thing to do?’
    Victoria posted a picture of the plaque online. Thousands of people have retweeted it and hundreds of people have commented on it.

    “People have been very angry and upset, especially the Iraqi community. People have been saying it’s a sick joke.

    “What was there before? Was it someone’s family plaque?” she said.

    Victoria questioned the motive of whoever fixed the plaque on the bench: “Was it a prankster? What’s the message? Was it a frivolous, dark thing to do?”

    Reaction on social media has been mixed. Some thought it was funny while others were shocked…”

  5. Opposition within Germany’s Christian Democratic Union to a UN Global Compact for Migration has grown despite Chancellor Angela Merkel’s backing.

    There are growing reservations within Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) about Germany signing onto the United Nations’ migration pact.

    Health Minister Jens Spahn, who hopes to lead the CDU when Merkel steps down as party leader later this year, has suggested that Germany should not sign the pact and called for further debate on the issue.

    Interior view of the German Federal Parliament, Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017.
    © AP PHOTO / MICHAEL SOHN
    Germany: New Migration ‘Master Plan’ Sparks Discord in Merkel’s Coalition
    Other CDU members have also criticised Germany’s participation in the pact, which is set for ratification in December.
    Spahn and other members of Germany’s governing coalition of the CDU, Social Democrats and Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) who have gone rogue on asylum policy, are apparently taking cues from the country’s neighbours — Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary, who have already pulled out of the pact.

    https://sputniknews.com/europe/201811191069922943-germany-un-plan-split/?fbclid=IwAR20fFKmFIhKS_CCqM-1Ln3-z-wiEtt2fgpCDfRUA0Si9jjS2yeofirAK94

  6. Schumer got $50K in donations from Facebook — and his daughter got a job

    What does it take to friend a U.S. senator?

    If you’re Facebook, all you need is about $50,000 in donations – and a cushy job for the politician’s daughter.

    Facebook employees, including some at the top of its corporate pyramid, have helped fill Schumer’s campaign coffers – and he’s returned the favor by carrying water for the social media giant in Congress, according to a recent report.

    And Alison Schumer, the senator’s youngest of two daughters, works as a Facebook product marketing manager – which pays an average of $160,000, according to Glassdoor.com.

    https://nypost.com/2018/11/17/schumer-got-50k-in-donations-and-a-job-for-his-daughter-from-facebook/

  7. 6 arrested during ‘civil disturbance’ in Portland
    Chants of “Women-hating sexist trolls, go crawl back into your holes!”

    PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An afternoon of protests, tense moments and projectiles thrown landed 6 people in jail in the wake of another faceoff between Patriot Prayer supporters and anti-fascist activists.

    The arrests and charges were announced by Portland police at the end of about 6 hours of rallies, chants, skirmishes and near-mayhem over issues related to sexual assault allegations and its political implications.

    Of the 6 people arrested, 5 were charged with interfering with a peace officer: Ruben A. Delahuerga, 25; Betsy Toll, 68; Elizabeth L. Cheek, 33; Brittany Frost, 35; and Gary Fresquez, 52.

    Fresquez also faces disorderly conduct. The 6th person, 19-year-old Hannah R. McClintock, was charged with harassment.

    https://www.koin.com/news/local/multnomah-county/portland-protests-patriot-prayer-antifa-himtoo-november-17-2018/1603542470

  8. Boko Haram targets 3 Nigeria military bases in series of Borno state attacks (thedefensepost, Nov 19, 2018)
    https://thedefensepost.com/2018/11/19/nigeria-boko-haram-iswap-military-bases-metele-gajiram-mainok/

    “Boko Haram jihadists attacked three military bases in northeast Nigeria over the weekend, putting the spotlight on insecurity just three months before presidential polls.

    On Sunday, fighters likely from the Islamic State West Africa Province faction attacked a base in Metele, a remote village in northeast Borno state, near the Niger border.

    Troops were “dislodged” from the base before it was reclaimed with aerial support, a military officer in the northeast told AFP.

    “There are still no details of human or material losses,” said the officer, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on the incident.

    The same day, jihadists also launched a pre-dawn attack on another base in the town of Gajiram, some 80 km (50 miles) north of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri.

    “Soldiers fought off the insurgents after hours of fighting which lasted up to 5:30 a.m. (0430 GMT),” said Kulo Gana, who lives 60 km away in the garrison town of Monguno.

    On Saturday, ISWAP fighters attacked a base in the town of Mainok, killing a soldier and seizing a truck from civilian militia fighting the jihadists.

    “They faced stiff resistance from soldiers who fought them for an hour before the terrorists withdrew,” said a militia member in the town.

    “We lost a soldier in that Mainok attack,” the military officer said.

    The military said it repelled an attack on a base in Kekeno village, near Monguno, on Friday, in the second attempted takeover in two months.

    Jihadists in several trucks carrying anti-aircraft guns attacked a base in the Kekeno village near the garrison town of Monguno, sources said.

    The militants were pushed back after a prolonged fight that lasted almost three hours with aerial support and reinforcements from Monguno.

    “The terrorists made desperate efforts to overrun the base but were pushed back after heavy fighting,” a military officer in Maiduguri said.

    Also on Friday, ISWAP said it killed three soldiers in clashes in Kareto, a base 150 km north of Maiduguri, two days earlier.

    ISWAP claimed that three soldiers were killed in the clashes and that they captured an “array of weapons and ammunitions as spoils.”

    “We lost three soldiers in the fight and several others are still missing,” a military officer in Maiduguri told AFP on Thursday.

    At the same time, Boko Haram fighters attacked Mammanti village, just outside Maiduguri, killing one person and burning the entire village.

    They then stole hundreds of cattle, the local chief of the village and residents said…”

  9. Dangerous Portland Leftists Riot Again ‘Protesting’ Against ‘Fascists,’ Six Arrested, Reporters Attacked

    Over the weekend Portland, Oregon, was again beset by large numbers of leftists pretending to be opponents of “fascists.” Once again these hardcore liberals caused riots, disruptions, property destruction, and put citizens in danger with their antics.

    According to Seattle’s KOIN TV, the Antifa goons gathered to disrupt the Patriot Prayer rally put on by a group that has never really caused any trouble for anyone at all.

    Indeed, every time there has been violence at any of these rallies it has been started by the liberals. And, true to form, that is what happened in Portland again this weekend.

    https://godfatherpolitics.com/dangerous-portland-leftists-again-riot-protesting-against-fascists-six-arrested-reporters-attacked/

  10. Central African Republic: Death toll in Alindao clashes rises to 48 (thedefensepost, Nov 19, 2018)
    https://thedefensepost.com/2018/11/19/central-african-republic-alindao-clashes-48-dead/

    “At least 48 people were killed in clashes between rival militias in the restive Central African Republic town of Alindao last week, according to an internal United Nations report seen by AFP on Monday, November 19.

    The death toll had previously been reported as 37, including two priests, in the country’s latest surge of violence.

    Central African Republic mapThe bloodshed was sparked in the central town of Alindao on November 15 between mainly Christian anti-Balaka milita members, and the Union for Peace in Central African Republic (UPC), one of the mainly Muslim ex-Seleka militias…”

    • As you watch this video think about how the leftist hypocrites are trying to force us to live a live, a short life of poverty and discomfort while they live the life of luxury.

  11. Spanish PM in Morocco to Discuss Migration (aawsat, Nov 19, 2018)
    https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1469686/spanish-pm-morocco-discuss-migration

    “Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez held talks with Moroccan counterpart Saad Eddine el Othmani on greater cooperation between their two countries on migration.

    “Migration is a shared responsibility and we must reinforce our cooperation in this area,” Sanchez said after the meeting during his first official visit to Morocco.

    Othmani said Morocco was doing “all that is in its power regarding the fight against illegal immigration”.

    “The migration question is complex and it cannot be resolved solely through a security approach, despite its importance, it’s necessary to favor the development of departure countries in Africa,” he added.

    Spain is one of the North African kingdom’s strongest European allies, and enhanced collaboration on all levels was a focus of Sanchez’s visit. It was among the topics discussed at a lunch hosted by Moroccan King Mohammed VI, the official MAP news agency said.

    Spain has this year become the main entry point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, the majority departing from Morocco.

    More than 50,000 migrants have crossed into Spain so far this year, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

    Madrid has for months been pressing the European Union to unlock funds for Morocco to better tackle people smuggling into the bloc.

    Throughout the year, numerous Spanish ministers and officials have traveled to Rabat to discuss security issues and migration.

    Moroccan authorities say that between January and the end of September they stopped some 68,000 illegal attempts to cross into Europe and dismantled 122 people smuggling gangs.

    While the majority of migrants have taken the perilous sea journey in rubber dinghies, others have scaled fences into the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla which border Morocco.

    Morocco, along with Tunisia and Algeria, has refused to serve as an immigration reception and processing center, an idea proposed by the European Union. Morocco instead wants more EU funding to help manage migration across its borders.

    Morocco is scheduled to host an international UN-sponsored conference on migration on December 10-11.”

  12. Egypt’s Sisi calls on scholars, intellectuals to ‘spread the tolerant teachings of Islam’ (ahram, Nov 19, 2018)
    http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/316574/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-Sisi-calls-on-scholars,-intellectuals-to-sp.aspx

    “Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has called on scholars and intellectuals to “defend the reputations of Muslims worldwide by spreading the tolerant teachings of Islam.”

    In a speech, El-Sisi said that the “building up of human beings” and the enlightening of minds is the main pillar of progress and development.

    The president called on clerics and intellectuals to exert efforts to enlighten and call upon the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, which promote working to face those who call for killing, destruction and extremism.

    El-Sisi spoke during an event held to celebrate Al-Moulid Al-Nabawy; the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. The event was organised by the Ministry of Endowments and attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayeb, Grand Mufti Shawki Allam and a number of ministers and Arab ambassadors.

    El-Sisi said that Islam’s message promotes peaceful coexistence between human beings and the right to life without discrimination based on colour or race.

    “Our noble religion has taught us that there is no compulsion in religion and it establishes the values of tolerance and acceptance,” El-Sisi said.

    “It is regrettable that we have among us those who have misinterpreted [the religion] and abandoned moderate teachings to follow unchecked opinions that are not in line with the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah regarding the inviolability of human beings,” El-Sisi said.

    The issue of reforming religious discourse, which has been brought up by the president on multiple occasions, was also discussed during the event.

    Egyptian Endowments Minister Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said that the issue of reforming religious discourse should move forward as long as the “fixed principles” of the religion are preserved.

    Earlier this month, El-Sisi said that reforming religious discourse is “one of the most important demands of Egypt and the world.””

  13. Tunisia says foiled several Daesh attacks (AA, Nov 19, 2018)
    https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/tunisia-says-foiled-several-daesh-attacks/1315594

    “Tunisian security forces have thwarted several attacks by the Daesh terrorist group, Interior Minister Hisham al-Furati said on Monday.

    “Plots by Daesh-linked groups to carry out suicide attacks against security and military forces were foiled this month,” al-Furati told parliament.

    The minister said terrorist threats have been on the rise in Tunisia.

    He cited the arrest of a Daesh militant “who has turned his house into a place to manufacture explosives and poisonous gases”.

    “This man was planning a series of terrorist attacks in the capital this month against security and military targets,” the minister said.

    He also cited the arrest of another Daesh militant, who was planning a vehicular attack against security and military personnel.

    Last month, a woman blew herself up in the capital Tunis, killing herself and injuring dozens.”

  14. Three arrested in alleged terror plot in Melbourne (france24, Nov 19, 2018)
    https://www.france24.com/en/20181119-three-arrested-alleged-terror-plot-melbourne

    “Three men were arrested early Tuesday for allegedly plotting terror attacks in Melbourne less than two weeks after a terror-related stabbing rampage left two dead in Australia’s second largest city, police said.

    The trio, all Australian nationals of Turkish descent, were nabbed in overnight raids as they escalated preparations to attack crowded areas of Melbourne, according to police.

    The men were “certainly inspired by ISIS”, the so-called Islamic State group, but had no known links to a specific organisation, Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said.

    The three, who were not named, had been under investigation since March but had become “more energised” since the IS-inspired stabbing attack in Melbourne on November 9, he said.

    In that attack, a Somali-born Australian, Hassan Khalif Shire Ali, stabbed and killed one man and wounded two others in a central shopping area before being fatally shot by police.

    The three men arrested Tuesday were aged 30, 26 and 21, and will be charged in a Melbourne court later in the day, police said.

    They had no previous criminal records, but had all had their passports cancelled earlier this year to prevent them from joining terror groups overseas, police said.

    “If we had not acted early in preventing this attack, we’ll allege the consequences would have been chilling, with… a potential significant loss of human life,” said Ian Mccartney, a federal police spokesman.

    Mccartney said the trio had attempted to acquire multiple semi-automatic .22 calibre rifles for the attack.

    They had not yet chosen a specific target for their attack, he said.”

  15. Tucker: Tijuana residents wary of caravan

    Residents of Tijuana are protesting the arrival of migrants from the caravan, is their protest racist? Tucker takes on Univision anchor Enrique Acevedo.

  16. Another terror trio in Melbourne, Australia – in addition to recent stabber Shire Ali and also to another terror trio who were convicted a couple of weeks ago but whose names would have been suppressed had not press representatives appealed that embargo!
    Latest three also from The Religion of Peace.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-20/three-men-charged-with-planning-a-terrorist-act-in-melbourne/10513328

    Three men arrested on suspicion of plotting a terror attack in Melbourne had tried to source a semi-automatic rifle to kill as many people as possible in a crowded space, police have alleged.
    Key points:

    The men all had their passports cancelled earlier this year, police said
    They had become “more energised” in the past week to carry out an IS-inspired attack
    Authorities said there was no ongoing threat

    The men, who are aged between 21 and 30, are from the city’s northern suburbs, and had been under surveillance since March, police said.

    They said the men — two of whom are brothers — were inspired by the Islamic State terror group.

    One of the men, a 21-year-old man from Greenvale, has been charged with one count of acting in preparation for, or planning of terrorist acts.

    The other two suspects — a 30-year-old man from Dallas and a 26-year-old man from Campbellfield — are being interviewed and are expected to be charged with similar offences today.
    A bearded man dressed in a white gown sits in the back seat of a car as photographers film him through the passenger window.
    Photo: A 21-year-old man has been charged with acting in preparation for a terrorist act. (ABC News)

    The men were arrested in counterterrorism raids this morning after their intentions of carrying out a mass killing “escalated” this week, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said.

    Mr Ashton said the men had not decided on a specific location for the attack.

    “There was a view towards a crowded place where maximum people would be attending to be able to kill, we allege, a maximum amount of people as possible,” he said.

    “[They were] certainly inspired by ISIS, we know that.”
    A police officer, in full body protective gear, stands behind police tape outside a red brick house.
    Photo: One of the properties raided by police is in Dallas, in Melbourne’s north. (ABC News: James Oaten)

    The raids were conducted from 3:00am and involved more than 200 officers from Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and ASIO.

    Mr Ashton declined to name the men, but said all three were Australian nationals whose passports were cancelled this year.

    One of the men’s passports was cancelled in January, another in March and the third last month, he said.

    “All three people are Australian nationals of Turkish background,” Mr Ashton said.

    A fourth property was searched at Coolaroo.
    Officers in high-visibility jackets stand in front of a house in a suburban street speaking to one another.
    Photo: More than 200 officers from Victoria Police and federal agencies were involved in the raids. (ABC News: James Oaten)

    Trio ‘energised’ in past week

    Mr Ashton said the men had made attempts in the past few days to obtain a 0.22 semi-automatic rifle to carry out the attack, but would not confirm if attempts were made to obtain more than one rifle.

    “Recently, over about the last week, they’ve become more energised so there’s certainly been a lot of publicity and talk about terrorism and certainly public place activity,” Mr Ashton said.

    “We had the Bourke Street [car attack] trial on as well so there was certainly a lot of public awareness around mass casualties and terrorism over recent times.

    “I don’t know whether that’s played a role or not. But certainly over the last week they’ve become energised about doing something more quickly.”

    Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.
    Video: AFP Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney said the plot could have caused “significant loss of life” (ABC News)

    He said two of the men had no criminal history, while one had a minor record for failing to display L plates in 2007.

    “Other than that there’s no criminal history or background, certainly no bail or anything like that applying in this case,” he said.

    Mr Ashton said the trio’s use of encrypted communications made it difficult for police and intelligence agencies to discern their plans.

    Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has been pushing for new laws to make it easier for authorities to access messages sent through encrypted messaging apps.
    Consequences ‘would have been chilling’

    AFP Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney said if police and intelligence agencies had not acted decisively, many people might have been killed.

    “We’ll allege the consequences would have been chilling, with … a potential significant loss of human life,” he said.

    He said the charges the men would face carried a penalty of life in prison.

    Assistant Commissioner McCartney said 90 people had been charged in relation to 40 counterterrorism investigations across Australia since September 2014, when the national threat level was raised.

    He said the men’s passports were cancelled because of concerns they intended to travel to a “conflict zone”.

    “At the time the decision was made, the concern was that they would travel offshore and may be involved in terrorist activity offshore,” Assistant Commissioner McCartney said.
    YouTube: ABC News’ James Oaten reports on terror arrests in Melbourne

    He said it was important to note that authorities did not believe the attack was directed by ISIS.

    “It’s an attack that’s been inspired by ISIS, driven by the propaganda machine, and unfortunately people are still listening to that propaganda machine.”

    Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Ross Guenther said when radicalised people had their passports cancelled, they often turned their attention to organising attacks in their home country.

    “When people are prevented from travelling or it’s difficult to get to the conflict zone, often the view will be, ‘Well I’ll change tack and commit an act in the country [in] which I live’. We’ve seen that all over the world,” Assistant Commissioner Guenther said.
    A man with sunglasses sitting up on his head speaks to the media in a suburban street.
    Photo: Zubair Mohammad said he had noticed three men meeting at his neighbour’s house. (ABC News: James Oaten)

    A neighbour of the Dallas man said he lived with his wife and two children, and the family had stopped praying at the local mosque and avoided catching up for coffee.

    “I don’t agree with that … we go pray not for any group, not for anyone, we [are] praying only to the one god,” Zubair Mohammad said.

    “I tell him then: ‘What you guys [are] doing is wrong, there is a mosque close by, we go pray in the mosque’.

    “It is strange to me, the way they act to me, the way they talk to me [was] a bit strange.”

    Mr Mohammad said he had noticed three men meeting at the house.

    He said the arrested man had been unemployed after breaking both his hands in a fall from a ladder while he was working as a painter.

    Premier Daniel Andrews said the arrests confirmed Victorians were well served by police and intelligence agencies who had “put themselves in harm’s way to keep all of us safe”.

    An earlier statement released by Victoria Police said there was no “ongoing threat” to the public linked to today’s arrests.

    Police are urging the public to go about their normal business and report any suspicious activity to triple zero, or the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.

    The raids come as thousands of people are expected to attend a state funeral for restaurateur Sisto Malaspina, who was stabbed by an Islamic State-inspired attacker in Melbourne’s Bourke Street on November 9.

    Earlier this month, three men were found guilty of plotting to carry out a terror attack in Melbourne’s CBD during the 2016 Christmas period.

  17. AUSTRALIA –Melbourne terror attack plot suspects arrested in police raids over mass shooting fears

    Three men arrested on suspicion of plotting a terror attack in Melbourne had tried to source a semi-automatic rifle to kill as many people as possible in a crowded space, police have alleged.

    The men, who are aged between 21 and 30, are from the city’s northern suburbs, and had been under surveillance since March, police said.

    They said the men — two of whom are brothers — were inspired by the Islamic State terror group.

    All three men have been charged with one count each of acting in preparation for, or planning of terrorist acts.

    The men were arrested in counterterrorism raids this morning after their intentions of carrying out a mass killing “escalated” this week, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said.

    Mr Ashton said the men had not decided on a specific location for the attack.

    “There was a view towards a crowded place where maximum people would be attending to be able to kill, we allege, a maximum amount of people as possible,” he said.

    “[They were] certainly inspired by ISIS, we know that.”

    The raids were conducted from 3:00am and involved more than 200 officers from Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and ASIO.

    Mr Ashton declined to name the men, but said all three were Australian nationals whose passports were cancelled this year.

    One of the men’s passports was cancelled in January, another in March and the third last month, he said.

    “All three people are Australian nationals of Turkish background,” Mr Ashton said.

    A fourth property was searched at Coolaroo.

    Trio ‘energised’ in past week

    Mr Ashton said the men had made attempts in the past few days to obtain a 0.22 semi-automatic rifle to carry out the attack, but would not confirm if attempts were made to obtain more than one rifle.

    “Recently, over about the last week, they’ve become more energised so there’s certainly been a lot of publicity and talk about terrorism and certainly public place activity,” Mr Ashton said.

    “We had the Bourke Street [car attack] trial on as well so there was certainly a lot of public awareness around mass casualties and terrorism over recent times.

    “I don’t know whether that’s played a role or not. But certainly over the last week they’ve become energised about doing something more quickly.”

    Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.

    He said two of the men had no criminal history, while one had a minor record for failing to display L plates in 2007.

    “Other than that there’s no criminal history or background, certainly no bail or anything like that applying in this case,” he said.

    Mr Ashton said the trio’s use of encrypted communications made it difficult for police and intelligence agencies to discern their plans.

    Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has been pushing for new laws to make it easier for authorities to access messages sent through encrypted messaging apps.

    Consequences ‘would have been chilling’

    AFP Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney said if police and intelligence agencies had not acted decisively, many people might have been killed.

    “We’ll allege the consequences would have been chilling, with … a potential significant loss of human life,” he said.

    He said the charges the men would face carried a penalty of life in prison.

    Assistant Commissioner McCartney said 90 people had been charged in relation to 40 counterterrorism investigations across Australia since September 2014, when the national threat level was raised.

    He said the men’s passports were cancelled because of concerns they intended to travel to a “conflict zone”.

    “At the time the decision was made, the concern was that they would travel offshore and may be involved in terrorist activity offshore,” Assistant Commissioner McCartney said.

    He said it was important to note that authorities did not believe the attack was directed by ISIS.

    “It’s an attack that’s been inspired by ISIS, driven by the propaganda machine, and unfortunately people are still listening to that propaganda machine.”

    Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Ross Guenther said when radicalised people had their passports cancelled, they often turned their attention to organising attacks in their home country.

    “When people are prevented from travelling or it’s difficult to get to the conflict zone, often the view will be, ‘Well I’ll change tack and commit an act in the country [in] which I live’. We’ve seen that all over the world,” Assistant Commissioner Guenther said.

    A neighbour of the Dallas man said he lived with his wife and two children, and the family had stopped praying at the local mosque and avoided catching up for coffee.

    “I don’t agree with that … we go pray not for any group, not for anyone, we [are] praying only to the one god,” Zubair Mohammad said.

    “I tell him then: ‘What you guys [are] doing is wrong, there is a mosque close by, we go pray in the mosque’.

    “It is strange to me, the way they act to me, the way they talk to me [was] a bit strange.”

    Mr Mohammad said he had noticed three men meeting at the house.

    He said the arrested man had been unemployed after breaking both his hands in a fall from a ladder while he was working as a painter.

    Premier Daniel Andrews said the arrests confirmed Victorians were well served by police and intelligence agencies who had “put themselves in harm’s way to keep all of us safe”.

    An earlier statement released by Victoria Police said there was no “ongoing threat” to the public linked to today’s arrests.

    Police are urging the public to go about their normal business and report any suspicious activity to triple zero, or the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.

    The raids come as thousands of people are expected to attend a state funeral for restaurateur Sisto Malaspina, who was stabbed by an Islamic State-inspired attacker in Melbourne’s Bourke Street on November 9.

    Earlier this month, three men were found guilty of plotting to carry out a terror attack in Melbourne’s CBD during the 2016 Christmas period.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-20/three-men-charged-with-planning-a-terrorist-act-in-melbourne/10513328