Melbourne trio committed to stand trial over alleged shooting terror plot

Ertunc Eriklioglu, 31, his brother Samed Eriklioglu, 27 and their friend Hanifi Halis, 22, have each been charged with preparing for an act of terrorism between November 12 and 19 last year.

During a five-day committal hearing which began on Monday, the court heard the trio were planning “an attack on members of the public with firearms in a well-populated area of the city of Melbourne”.

In redacted documents released by the court, prosecutors alleged the men had negotiated to buy a gun and had paid a deposit on an unregistered .22 calibre rifle.

Large sections of evidence were heard in closed court during the committal proceeding.

The court heard the men wanted to go to Syria after Islamic State declared a caliphate in the country.

The men were being monitored for several months before their arrest in November.

Source: ABC