SYDNEY, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Isaak el Matari, 20, behind bars in Australia, on Wednesday was accused of planning a terror attack on prominent Sydney landmarks including churches and police stations.
Matari was arrested on Tuesday, along with two other men, aged 23 and 30, in raids across Sydney's outer suburbs.
Police have charged the 23-year-old with joining the terrorist organization Islamic State, while the 30-year-old has been charged with a fraud offence.
Matari, who is accused of planning the attack in Sydney, was previously held by Lebanese authorities in 2017 on suspicion of wanting to fight for Islamic State in Syria.
Upon his return to Australia in mid-2018, having been deported from Lebanon, authorities including the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT), were closely monitoring the online activities of Matari and his associates.
The circumstances have brought into focus laws that will be formally proposed by the current government on Thursday, which would ban anyone suspected of extremism overseas from entering Australia for up to two years.
"They build on the changes we have already made to make sure that we can keep Australians safe," Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said.
NSW Police Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander and Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing, said in a statement that the primary threat of terrorism comes from individuals with extremist ideologies influencing others, particularly on the internet.
"The online environment provides fast and easy access to information and, unfortunately, those benefits are also being exploited by extremists, who use digital technologies to exist 'virtually' if their physical existence is under threat," Willing said.
"Much of the NSW JCTT's work includes the investigation into online activities, and while we have seen success -- including today's arrests -- we continue to appeal to the community for assistance to ensure the safety of all Australians."
Dutton said that recent changes allowing law enforcement access to encrypted messages are already yielding positive results in cases similar to Matari's.
"It has played a role, and a very positive role, in a number of investigations," Dutton said.
