A NSW prisoner in Goulburn's SuperMax jail has been charged with planning terror attacks targeted at police, military personnel and corrective services staff.
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The Australian Federal Police say the 24-year-old man was charged on Thursday by the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team.
An investigation known as Operation Zellaer began in late 2018 into a number of people alleged to be engaging in terrorism-related activities.
The prisoner was later found to be an associate of these people.
He was already being investigated by the NSW Police Force's High Risk Terrorist Offenders Unit, which was considering imposing a supervision/detention order under the Terrorism (High Risk Offenders) Act.
As a result of that investigation, the man was placed on an Interim Continuing Detention Order, and evidence identified during this was referred to the JCTT.
In October 2019 the NSW JCTT searched the man's cell at Goulburn's notoriously tough SuperMax, southwest of Sydney, while he was on remand for matters unrelated to terrorism .
Police will allege evidence seized revealed plans for acts of violent extremism within the community, aimed at police, military personnel and correctional staff.
The 24-year-old was charged on Thursday with two counts of preparing or planning terrorist acts.
He will appear in Parramatta Local Court on April 2.
The man faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee said the investigation "uncovered alleged plots to harm the very men and women who our community members trust to keep them safe".
NSW Police Force Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander, Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton, said the results demonstrated the full gambit of counter terrorism investigations in NSW.
"Our investigations teams are complemented by a range of specialist units, which seek to identify and disrupt potential terrorist plans by individuals or groups, monitor those at risk of radicalisation and detect those who seek to do harm within our community."
Australian Associated Press
