A terror cell attempted to blow up a flight from Australia with bombs hidden in a Barbie doll and a meat grinder, Lebanon’s interior minister has claimed.
The plan was to detonate an improvised explosive device 20 minutes into an Abu-Dhabi bound Etihad Airways flight with 400 passengers on board.
The plot was allegedly only aborted after the luggage containing the devices was deemed overweight, the BBC reported.
Four men were arrested in Sydney counter-terrorism raids in July.
Two were released but Lebanese-Australian brothers Khaled Khayat, 49, and Mahmoud Khayat, 32 were charged with “preparing for, or planning, a terrorist attack”.
Australian authorities at the time confirmed the arrests related to a credible plot to bring down an aircraft.
It then emerged the target was an Etihad Airways flight from Sydney on July 15.
Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner Michael Phelan described the plan as “one of the most sophisticated plots that has ever been attempted on Australian soil”.
Lebanese interior minister Nohad Machnouk said the plan by Amer Khayyat was abandoned after a bag was deemed overweight.
His story contradicts Australian authorities who previously claimed the travelling brother had the bomb planted on him unkowingly.
The minister said his country coordinated extensively with the Australian government over the plot.
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‘Sophisticated’ bomb plot suspects targeted Etihad Airways flight from Sydney