New South Wales police have raided two homes in Merrylands, western Sydney, following alleged threats against a police station. The searches were carried out under firearms prohibition orders previously served on men linked to the addresses.
Police confirmed the operation was led by firearms teams rather than counter-terrorism units. Nothing of interest was found, but detectives from the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad continue to investigate a reported threat involving a firearm at a Greater Sydney police station.
The properties raided include the family home of Talal Alameddine, 22, who is accused of supplying the gun used in the fatal shooting of Curtis Cheng on 2 October. The other belongs to Omar Haouchar, 26, who was briefly detained by federal police after returning from the Turkish-Syrian border, where he claimed to be working as a humanitarian aid worker.
State Crime Commander Assistant Commissioner Mark Jenkins said the threat was made via Facebook about two weeks ago. 'Anyone that would want to try and threaten a police officer or premises can expect that the police will act very, very swiftly,' he said. 'We make no apology for that.'
Speaking outside his property, Haouchar described the raids as 'a waste of taxpayer money'. Alameddine remains in custody, and his Lockwood Street house has been searched several times before.
