Members of the group were responsible for distributing a fake video, allegedly showing a speech by the country’s Federal Police Commissioner urging people to support anti-government sentiments
Law enforcement agencies in Australia have cracked down on a criminal group planning to overthrow the country’s government and arrest federal officials and MPs. The country’s federal police said on Monday.
“Members of the group are responsible for creating and distributing a fake video which recorded a speech by the country’s alleged federal police commissioner detailing anti-government sentiments and urging people to join him. The person speaking in the video is not Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw <…> but a member of a group of like-minded individuals who regularly discuss a common interest in taking over the federal government and issuing ‘arrest warrants’ for a number of senior politicians and government officials”, – the police said in a statement posted on the agency’s website.
Law enforcement agencies reportedly conducted a series of searches in Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville, Queensland, as well as in Peterborough and Perth, Western Australia, during which they managed to gather evidence of wrongdoing while investigating the group. A 46-year-old man posing as an Australian Federal Police officer was also arrested. He is expected to appear in court on Monday, August 16, for attempting to illegally obtain identification badges bearing the official Australian Federal Police logo.
Assistant Police Commissioner Scott Lee said police had been unable to find evidence that the group had the ability or “attempted to actually commit any specific violent acts”.
“In this case <…> we acted at an early stage to disrupt any potentially dangerous acts as soon as possible and will not hesitate to bring further charges if further details of the crime are uncovered”, – he said.
The police also said they would continue to investigate the group’s activities and identify all its members.