Two arrested in Australia counter-terror raids

Sydney: Australian authorities have arrested two suspects in counter-terror raids here on Thursday as part of an ongoing operation to stop attacks by home-grown terrorists.

“Two people have been arrested by the Joint Counter Terrorism Team Sydney as part of the ongoing Operation Appleby,” New South Wales police said.

Police will provide further information the two suspects later in the day, Xinhua news agency reporetd.

Australia has been on hig alert alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since last year.

Recently a 15-year-old teenager murdered police accountant Curtis Cheng outside the police headquarters in western Sydney in what was described by officials as an act of terror.

The raids came less than a week before the anniversary of the Sydney Siege where two hostages were killed when police stormed the Lindt Cafe in Sydney’s Martin Place, killing the gunman.