Victoria Police Charge Three Men With 'Islamic State Inspired' Terror Offences

Victoria police announced on Sunday, August 20 that they had charged three men with “engaging in a terrorist act” over an arson attack on the Imam Ali Islamic Centre in December 2016. Two of the men are already in custody.

Speaking to the media on the matter, Assistant Commissioner Ross Guenther of Victoria Police and Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney said that counter-terror police teams in Melbourne had charged three men with “engaging in a terrorist act” over the fire at the centre last December.

Two of the men, who are already in custody over a suspected foiled terror attack before last Christmas are also being charged over a previous fire at the same centre.

AC McCartney said the investigation is focusing on what he called “Islamic State inspired” attacks to instill fear into parts of a certain community. AC Guenther said the centre at the heart of the attacks was a Shia centre and police believe those who committed the attacks adhere to an extremist Sunni ideology. Credit: Facebook/Victoria Police via Storyful