Australian police have arrested three suspected terrorists on the northern suburbs of Melbourne, seriously destroyed the terrorist group's plans for attack, police said on Saturday.

The three men, arrested on Friday night, were allegedly involved in plotting to launch a terror attack on the Australian soil with 19 others who had been captured in Sydney and Melbourne in November during the country's major counter-terrorism operation.

"These arrests have seriously disrupted the activities of a group allegedly making arrangements to carry out a terrorist attack in Australia," Victoria state police commissioner Christine Nixon told reporters.

The suspects will stand on trial in Melbourne on Monday. They will be charged with being members of an international terrorist organization and intentionally making funds available to a terrorist organization, police said.

If committed, they will face a maximum of 25 years in jail, under Australia's tough new counter-terrorism laws.

Source: Xinhua