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| Brighton siege: Victoria police raid three properties in Melbourne | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| More than 150 police officers have raided three properties in Melbourne’s north believed to be connected to the guns used in a siege and fatal shooting in Brighton on Monday night, which left building clerk Kai Hao dead and three police officers injured. | |
| Officers from Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police and Asio raided the homes in Ascot Vale, Glenroy and Ascot Park just before 5am on Friday. | |
| A 32-year-old man was arrested at the home in Glenroy, in an altercation that left him with grazing on his face, and a replica shotgun was seized from the house in Gladstone Park, Victoria Police deputy commissioner Shane Patton said. | |
| Patton said the raids were in connection to the two firearms used by 29-year-old Yacqub Khayre when he took a woman hostage at an apartment complex in Brighton and shot Hao. | |
| “We do not at this time have any links between [the subjects of the raids] and terrorism ... they are however persons who are known to us through their criminal history,” Patton said at a press conference on Friday. | |
| “We believe these persons may be involved in the provision of firearms in respect to this matter that were used by the offender.” | |
| Khayre was shot dead by police after he managed to shoot three officers, seriously wounding two. | |
| Patton praised members of the Special Operations Group for taking part in the raids so soon after Monday’s siege. | |
| “To think that three members of their unit were shot on Monday night, two are hospitalised still with very serious injuries, and then here they are again this morning executing warrants quite courageously in premises where they don’t know what they’re going in to,” he said. “I think along with the Victorian community, I take my hat off to the courage of those members.” | |
| Police were still conducting the searches when Patton addressed the media at 9am, and he said there might be more raids over the coming days. All three raids were authorised on a warrant to gather evidence for charges of aiding and abetting the commission of a terrorist offence, a crime which carries life imprisonment. | |
| The premier, Daniel Andrews, earlier said “a number of warrants were being executed” in connection with the Brighton siege. | |
| .@DanielAndrewsMP says a number of warrants are being executed in Melb in connection with the Brighton siege MORE: https://t.co/wRG1TegdG0 pic.twitter.com/INypGtnuzX | .@DanielAndrewsMP says a number of warrants are being executed in Melb in connection with the Brighton siege MORE: https://t.co/wRG1TegdG0 pic.twitter.com/INypGtnuzX |
| “As this relates to an ongoing investigation, it is not appropriate to comment further,” the police statement said. “The safety of the community and our members is paramount and more information will be released when it is safe to do so.” | “As this relates to an ongoing investigation, it is not appropriate to comment further,” the police statement said. “The safety of the community and our members is paramount and more information will be released when it is safe to do so.” |
| A caller told Fairfax Radio on Friday morning that he saw between 10 and 15 police searching bins and stopping garbage collection on Epsom Road, Ascot Vale. | A caller told Fairfax Radio on Friday morning that he saw between 10 and 15 police searching bins and stopping garbage collection on Epsom Road, Ascot Vale. |
| Another caller reported seeing about 20 police officers running on a major road in the northern suburbs, followed by members of the Special Operations Group, who were “driving like mad”. | Another caller reported seeing about 20 police officers running on a major road in the northern suburbs, followed by members of the Special Operations Group, who were “driving like mad”. |
| “They’re in transit but they’re obviously close because they’re running,” the man told Fairfax Radio. “So the cops are running and the SOGs are following at a great rate of knots.” | “They’re in transit but they’re obviously close because they’re running,” the man told Fairfax Radio. “So the cops are running and the SOGs are following at a great rate of knots.” |
| Andrews was speaking in Hobart ahead of a Council of Australian Governments meeting. The meeting will focus on parole and anti-terror measures, including a proposal by Andrews that the federal government take charge of people paroled for terrorism offences. | Andrews was speaking in Hobart ahead of a Council of Australian Governments meeting. The meeting will focus on parole and anti-terror measures, including a proposal by Andrews that the federal government take charge of people paroled for terrorism offences. |
| Khayre was released on parole in November. The chairman of the Victorian parole baord, Peter Couzens, said on Wednesday that the board was aware Khayre had been acquitted of previous terrorism charges when they decided to grant him parole on the recommendation of the corrections department, but said they were not aware he was on a terrorist watch-list. | Khayre was released on parole in November. The chairman of the Victorian parole baord, Peter Couzens, said on Wednesday that the board was aware Khayre had been acquitted of previous terrorism charges when they decided to grant him parole on the recommendation of the corrections department, but said they were not aware he was on a terrorist watch-list. |