Israel Thwarted ‘Plane Terror Plot’ In Australia

Australian police operatives (photo credit: Getty Images)

Israel assisted in averting an alleged terror plot in Australia to bring down a plane in 2017, officials from both countries have said.

Australian police had charged two brothers over an alleged plan to blow up an Etihad Airways flight travelling from Sydney to Abu Dhabi.

According to reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday set up his nation’s intelligence agencies with preventing “an unimaginable slaughter”.

It was learned that authorities have said the alleged plot was linked to the Islamic State group.

BBC reports that at the time, Australian police said a home-made bomb, hidden inside a meat-grinder, was due to be carried on to a flight on 15 July but did not make it past security after the plan was aborted for an unknown reason.

Police said that when the bomb plot failed, the two suspects started on a second plot which involved creating an improvised chemical device designed to release hydrogen sulphide, or “rotten egg gas”.

Lebanese-Australian brothers Khaled Khayat, 49, and Mahmoud Khayat, 32, were later arrested in Sydney and charged with “preparing for, or planning, a terrorist attack”.

The AFP news agency said Israel did not reveal which flight was at the centre of its warning.

However, a tip-off from military intelligence group Unit 8200 – which is often likened to the US National Security Agency – had led to the arrests in Australia.

“The Israeli intelligence services thwarted the downing of an Australian plane, an unimaginable slaughter,” Mr Netanyahu told Jewish-American leaders.

– BBC/Concise News

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