Australian neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell charged over alleged armed robbery
The head of neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network has faced a Melbourne court charged over an alleged armed robbery in central Victoria.
Twenty-eight-year-old Thomas Sewell was arrested by counter-terrorism police at his home in Rowville in Melbourne s east this morning.
Victoria Police said the investigation followed an alleged armed robbery in the town of Taggerty on Saturday.
Police said Mr Sewell faced charges of armed robbery, robbery, theft, criminal damage, affray with face covering, affray, assault with a weapon, violent disorder, common law assault and committing an indictable offence whilst on bail.
Police will allege the 19-year-old attempted to engage in a terrorist act.
Police say they suspect two incidents that occurred earlier in the year â a fire lit on February 18 in bushland outside of Melbourne and a public assault on a person in metropolitan Melbourne on March 10 â could have been motivated by religious extremism.
Victoria Police Counter Terrorism Command Assistant Commissioner Michael Hermans said investigators believed the risk posed by the three individuals had been increasing, prompting police to carry out the raids under Operation Loon Beek.
âWe saw a risk profile that was increasing, and we took action,â Mr Hermans said.
Acting Premier James Merlino condemned the actions and said Victorians needed to remain vigilant about terrorism. We cannot ever relax . this is something that we need to keep on top of.
Professor of Global Islamic Politics at Deakin University Greg Barton said ISIS was still a global threat. This group Islamic State is still very active. There s no more caliphate but they haven t gone away. We d like to think they have but this is a reminder this threat is a persistent and a resilient one, Mr Barton said.
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Police said the arrests were linked to a fire and an assault.(Nine)