Hermans said the investigation into the three men related to a fire on 18 February in bushland about 30 minutes’ drive north of Epping, as well as an assault on an individual in metropolitan Melbourne on 10 March.
Hermans said police believed the incidents might have been motivated by an “ideology based on religious extremism”, and that officers had acted on the basis that the “risk profile” of the men was “increasing”.
“It is Islamic [in] motivation,” he said. “But let me be very clear: we target the crime, not the ideology.”
Because charges have yet to be laid, police were reluctant to divulge details of the allegations likely to be made against the men, but said they believed the incidents might have been motivated by “religious extremism”.
Two Melbourne men charged with attempting a terrorist attack
Normal text size
Advertisement
Two young men are due to face court in Melbourne on Thursday with counter-terrorism police to allege the pair attempted a terrorist attack.
Investigators escort a suspect to be interviewed by police.
Credit:Nine
On Thursday overnight the 19-year-old was charged with attempting a terrorist act, intentionally causing injury, acting in preparation of terrorist act and membership of a prescribed terrorist organisation (ISIS).
Meanwhile, the 20-year-old was taken to hospital under police guard after a medical episode and has also been charged with one count of attempting a terrorist act.
Share on Twitter
A Melbourne man has been accused of trying to carry out a religiously motivated act of terror, with police warning the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated online youth radicalisation.
The 19-year-old Epping man was among three people arrested as part of a joint counter-terrorism operation in Melbourne s north on Wednesday morning.
A 20-year-old man from Epping and 16-year-old Glenroy boy were also arrested in the separate raids after investigators became concerned about a fire and an assault.
Police say they suspect the incidents - involving a fire in bushland about 30 minutes from Epping on 18 February and assault in a public place in metropolitan Melbourne on 10 March - may have been motivated by religious extremism .
Investigators believe the incidents may have been motivated by Islamic religious extremism .
Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee of the Australian Federal Police s counter-terrorism and special investigations unit said the nature of fire, in particular, had stoked their suspicions. There is an ideology, and a violent extremist ideology, that has caused us concern, and it s as a result of that ideology that we re looking at these incidents being connected to a terrorism motivation, he told reporters on Wednesday. There are certain aspects to the lighting of the fire that leads us to suspect it was a terrorism motivation.
With all three suspects aged 20 or under, Mr Lee said counter-terrorism teams across the globe were encountering a younger and younger demographic, with the COVID-19 pandemic pushing more kids online and exacerbating the problem.
Two Islamic extremists are charged with attempting to carry out a terror act in Melbourne dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.