Australian media reported a loud blast shortly after 8:30 pm near a house in Greenvale, which had been the center of a coordinated search operation throughout the day Friday. A number of explosive devices are believed to have been found in the house.
Prior to the detonation, police sent a bomb squad robot and heavily-armed bomb squad officers to the area. The suburb had been placed on lockdown at around 12:30 pm as bomb squad officers and police dogs searched the residence, while the area overhead was declared a no-fly zone.
RT politicotab: POLICE have detonated an improvised explosive device following counter-terrorism raids in Melbourne’s north #auspol
— Prathamesh Bhosale (@PB_Prathamesh_B) 8 мая 2015
Witnesses are reported to have told Nine Network television station that police used a loudspeaker to demand that the house's occupants exit, with a man emerging and walking into the street with his hands behind his head shortly after, with six women following. Other witnesses reported seeing two men led away into a police car.
Victoria and Federal Police have yet to give any details about the incident, stating only that it was part of a joint, "ongoing operation."
Australian media report that the incident was one of a series of counter-terror raids in Melbourne's suburbs on Friday.
Late last month, Australian police carried out a similar operation, codenamed Operation Rising, aimed at countering an alleged Islamic-State-connected terror plot planned for Anzac Day, celebrated April 25. Over 200 officers were involved in that operation, with five men arrested and three later charged.
