MOSCOW, September 30 (RIA Novosti) – Australian police have arrested 23-year old Melbourne resident Hassan El Sabsabi, chargedwith providing $12,000 to a US citizen fighting for the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, the Guardian reports.
El Sabsabi was arrested in Seabrook, a Melbourne suburb, during a Tuesday morning police raids carried out by a joint force of Victoria Police and Australian Federal Police (AFP) across five Melbourne suburbs, said Business Insider Australia.
“A 23-year old man from Seabrook will be charged with intentionally making funds available to a terrorist organization”, told Neil Gaughan, AFP Assistant Commissioner, as quoted by Business Insider Australia.
Gaughan told media that seven search warrants were issued and more than 100 police officers were involved in the operation. The raids followed after an eight-month long investigation, started after FBI agents contacted Australian authorities, the Guardian reports.
“We have gone early today because we were of the view that further funds were about to be transferred”, Gaughan said.
“We are acutely aware that to participate in overseas fighting, funds are required. <…>Providing funding is equally criminal as actually traveling to participate and we will use all our resources to cut off the supply of funds to terrorists”, added AFP Assistant Commissioner, as quoted by the Guardian.
Many foreign fighters have joined the IS militants, who now control large parts of Iraq and Syria. US intelligence officials estimate as many as 15,000 from 80 different countries are now fighting with the IS in the Middle East, reports the New York Times.
