(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
A 23 year old Melbourne man has been charged with making funds available to a proscribed terror group operating in Iraq and Syria.
It came after police launched counter terror raids across Melbourne suburbs.
Abby Dinham has more.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
Seven search warrants, over 100 police and one arrest.
Police say Operation Hohensalzburg was undertaken with a light touch as there was no imminent danger to the general public.
A 23 year old man from the outer Melbourne suburb of Seabrook has been charged with funding a proscribed terrorist organisation.
Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan says today's operation was the culmination of an eight month investigation sparked by information from the United States.
"This is the first time in terrorism environment that we're aware that an Australian citizen has sponsored or paid for a citizen of another country to go into Syria or Iraq to fight."
The Australian Federal Police allege the man had transferred money to a US citizen fighting with a proscribed terror organisation in Syria.
Assistant Commissioner Gaughan says the men were of no relation.
"There is no relationship through relatives or marriage or anything else like that. They are known primarily through social media but I stress the person know from the US is currently fighting in Syria."
The coordinated raids took place in five locations to the north and west of Melbourne just after sunrise; Flemington, Meadow Heights, Broad Meadows, Kealba and Seabrook.
Police say all the search warrants related to the Seabrook arrest, and the alleged charges of funding a terrorist organisation.
Assistant Commissioner Gaughan says police will allege that money had been transferred previously and that a new substantial transaction was about to take place.
"At this stage we're alleging there was $12,000 but we do know there has been a recent escalation in the amount of money being transferred and we made a decision that we had to go over to stop further funding of this activity."
Seabrook is located about 20 kilometres south west of Melbourne's CBD.
It's an area heavily populated by young families, and the accused lived adjacent to the local primary school.
Next door neighbour Herve Du-buisson-Perrine says he's shocked by the incident.
"Very friendly person we speak we talk, small talk, he ask about my garden and so on very nice bloke. What can you do? I hope it's a mistake."
He says the accused moved in to the residence just last December with his new wife.
Seabrook resident Roslyn Shield says she's disturbed that such an incident could happen in such a family orientated community.
"Not think anything like this would go on around here. It's a bit close to home you know I just fear for everybody."
The raids come about two weeks after a similar operation at locations around Sydney, and just a week after police were attacked by a man with suspected terror links in Endevour Hills.
They say there is no connection between the cases.
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