Melbourne Wakes Up To Anti-Terror Raids: Seabrook Man Arrested For Funding Terrorist Organisation

Anti-terror raids are currently being carried out in Melbourne's suburbs with police arresting one man for providing a $12,000 fund to a U.S. citizen fighting in Syria. According to reports, authorities claimed that the 23-year-old man from Seabrook was about to transfer more funds. He will be taken into custody for funding a terrorist organisation.

Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner Neil Gaughan reported that the man was about to give more money to his contact in Syria. The counter-terrorism raids in seven areas in Melbourne on Sept. 30 were the result of an investigation that lasted for eight months with information provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Gaughan confirmed the man was the first time it was known that an Australian citizen is funding someone to fight with extremists in Syria. Intelligence reports said the U.S. citizen was already in Syria for several months. Police believe the Melbourne man was "operating by himself." Gaughan also said there was no report of the suspect planning an attack on Australian soil.

Reports said that about 100 officers from the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police are involved in the anti-terror raids in Seabrook, Meadow Heights, Kealba, Flemington and Broadmeadows. Victoria Police deputy commissioner Graham Ashton confirmed that the joint investigation with the federal police continues. He described the recent raids as "low-key" since the charge to be filed against the suspect was not seen as a direct threat to the public. Police reiterated that the raids were not related to last week's stabbing of two police officers outside of police station in Endeavour Hills, SMH reported.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia's terror threat is strongest in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Bishop has cancelled about 50 passports for national security reasons. She told reporters that the owners of the passports she cancelled were concentrated in the three aforementioned Australian states.

Bishop spoke to the cabinet in Victoria about the level of terror threat following the fatal shooting of known suspect Numan Haider who stabbed two police officers. The foreign minister reiterated the state and federal governments are working together to monitor the terror threat level. She revealed the case has been the "most significant domestic security threat" Australia was seen for some time.