Australia confirms Australian detained in Iraq
Australia’s government confirmed that an Australian had been detained in Iraq after a media report on Wednesday that an Islamic State group commander suspected of masterminding a plot to blow up an airline flight from Sydney and an Australian relative were captured. Commander Tarek Khayat, a Lebanese citizen, and his relative Ahmed Merhi were detained […]Australia’s government confirmed that an Australian had been detained in Iraq after a media report on Wednesday that an Islamic State group commander suspected of masterminding a plot to blow up an airline flight from Sydney and an Australian relative were captured.
Commander Tarek Khayat, a Lebanese citizen, and his relative Ahmed Merhi were detained in Iraq earlier this year, but their arrests have been shrouded in secrecy because of diplomatic sensitivities surrounding the cases, Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported, citing anonymous Australian officials.
Defense Minister Marise Payne confirmed that an Australian had been detained, but would not comment on his identity.
