Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. AP FILE PHOTO
SYDNEY—Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Friday he was deeply worried about the potential for lone wolf terror attacks, days after an 18-year-old suspected militant was shot dead while attacking police.
Abdul Numan Haider was killed on Tuesday after he stabbed two police officers outside a Melbourne police station, seriously injuring one he knifed in the head, neck and stomach.
The incident followed major terror raids in Sydney and Brisbane to foil an alleged plot by Islamic State jihadists to carry out “demonstration killings,” including a beheading.
“I am deeply concerned about the threat that lone wolf terrorism poses to people,” Abbott told Network Seven from New York where he is attending UN meetings. “That’s why we had those raids in Sydney and Brisbane and that seems to be what we saw outside a Melbourne police station a couple of days ago.”
Terror threat level: High
Abbott’s government raised the terror threat level in Australia to high earlier this month, and is also tightening counterterror laws to give spy agencies greater powers, while cracking down on citizens who travel overseas to fight alongside Islamic State jihadists.
Strong supporter of US
The government says some 60 Australians are in Iraq and Syria to engage in unrest and has warned they could return home radicalized and prepared to commit attacks on home soil.
“I’m very concerned but I want to assure people that our police, our security and intelligence agencies are as professional as any in the world,” Abbott said. “And we are maintaining maximum vigilance to keep our country safe.”
Australia has been a strong supporter of US efforts in Iraq, and is expected to join in international air strikes against Islamic State fighters.
“People should go about their normal lives because what terrorists are trying to do is scare us out of being ourselves,” Abbott said.
Apology for alarm
Amid fears that the heightened tensions could create a backlash against Australian Muslims, the defense force apologized on Friday for any alarm caused by a claim that a 41-year-old officer had been attacked in Sydney while wearing his uniform.
The man has now withdrawn the allegation and police will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, the Australian Defense Force said.
“On behalf of the Australian Defense Force I would like to apologize to the Australian community and particularly the Middle Eastern community for any angst that this has caused,” Air Chief Marshall Mark Binskin said. AFP
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