Australian man arrested on charges of helping ISIS develop missile technology

A man suspected of trying to advise the Islamic State on missiles has been arrested in Australia

Malcolm Turnbull, pictured with AFP commissioners Andrew Colvin and Ian McCartney, said the man arrested in Young was alleged to have communicated with Isis about the development of missile systems
Malcolm Turnbull, pictured with AFP commissioners Andrew Colvin and Ian McCartney, said the man arrested in Young was alleged to have communicated with Isis about the development of missile systems

Australian counterterrorism police arrested an unidentified man after a raid on a countryside property on Tuesday and accused him of seeking to help the Islamic State group by developing missile technology, the first arrest of its kind in Australia.

Dozens of police, including a dog squad and some officers with metal detectors, raided a property in Young, about 270 km southwest of Sydney, earlier on Tuesday, pictures on Australian media showed.

Ian McCartney, Assistant Commissioner of counter-terrorism for the Australian Federal Police, said police will allege the 42-year-old man had been advising the radical Islamist group on how to develop the technical capability to detect guided missiles and to build their own missiles.

"We will also allege that he has been researching, designing and modelling systems to assist ISIL's efforts to develop their own long-range guided missile capabilities," McCartney said, using another common term to describe Islamic State.

Other police alleged the man had been attempting to research and design a laser missile-warning device.

The Australian-born man, who was trained as an electrician, was expected to face court later on Tuesday, police said.

There was no immediate threat to the community, according to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Turnbull said the arrest did not relate to a planned terror attack in Australia.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin said the man was suspected of acting alone.

The Islamic State group has come under sustained attack in recent weeks from coalition air strikes, which have seen the group lose much of its foothold in Syria and Iraq.

Australian air force planes have been involved in some of those strikes against the group.