Australian police have carried out major anti-terror raids triggered by a call from a senior Islamic State militant for "demonstration killings", Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.
The raids, involving at least 800 heavily-armed officers, took place in Brisbane and Sydney.
Fifteen people were arrested and one person has been charged with conspiracy to prepare a terrorist attack.
Police say the anti-terror operation was the largest in Australian history.
Reports in the Australian media said a plot involved beheading a random member of the public after draping them in an Islamic State flag.
Addressing a press conference, Mr Abbott said "direct exhortations were coming from an Australian who is apparently quite senior in ISIL (Islamic State) to networks of support back in Australia to conduct demonstration killings here in this country".
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| Police and other law enforcement agencies cordon off a street as forensic experts collect evidence inside a house in the Guildford area of Sydney |
"So this is not just suspicion, this is intent and that's why the police and security agencies decided to act in the way they have."
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| Police say that at least 15 people were arrested in the early morning raids |
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