and the bloke at your local 'chinky' is a spy; and most people who work at Irish Clubs and Pubs are ex IRA. ASIO raids homes of Islamic extremists 09:51 AEST Thu Jun 23 2005 AAP Counter-terrorist officers have raided four Melbourne homes after an investigation revealed radical Islamic extremists were planning to attack landmarks.
The raids follow a 10-month investigation in which ASIO officers and police tracked extremists on road trips between Melbourne and Sydney, according to reports in News Ltd newspapers.
Members of an extremist group attended survival training camps in country Victoria and were recorded talking about wanting to carry out terrorist attacks in Melbourne, the reports said.
Surveillance officers told News Ltd the cell had loose links with a radical Islamic group in Sydney, which had been seen using small boats to check out possible targets including the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
Authorities do not expect to lay any charges as the raids were planned to disrupt the group to avert possible attacks.
ASIO officers, Australian Federal Police agents and members of Victoria Police's Security Intelligence Group remained at the Brunswick East home of one family from 8am to 3pm on Wednesday.
An unnamed source told the newspapers the targets had "shown a real intent to do something".
"They are talking a lot about terrorist attacks overseas and expressing extremist view, and talking about doing something here to show support for those Islamic groups committing terrorist acts elsewhere," the source said.
