(AFP) – A sixth man was charged Friday in connection to Australia’s so-called “tinnie terror” case in which a group of young men allegedly hoped to travel overseas on a small boat to join jihadists.
Australian Federal Police said a 25-year-old Melbourne man was charged on suspicion of preparing to enter a foreign country to engage in hostile activities.
“There is no current or impending threat of a terrorist act to the Australian community arising from this investigation,” they said in a joint statement with Victoria Police.
The arrest follows that of five men earlier this month after they drove from the southern city of Melbourne some 2,840 kilometres (1,765 miles) north to Queensland, towing a seven-metre (23-foot) boat.
“Tinnie” is used in Australian slang to describe a small boat.
Police have alleged they planned to sail to Indonesia and from there travel to other countries to engage in hostile activities.
The five, aged in their 20s and 30s, had all had their passports cancelled so were unable to travel by plane.
Counter-terror police allege that the latest man arrested, who did not apply for bail, bought a boat, vehicle and trailer and had plans to leave Australia to travel to Syria, reports said.
Australia has been increasingly concerned about its citizens fighting with jihadist organisations such as Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, with some 110 citizens already having left to join such groups.
The government has also been worried about homegrown extremism and the terror threat level was raised to high in September 2014. The government says nine terror events have been prevented since then.
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