Australia Foils ISIS 'Demonstration' Beheading Plot

Australia says it has thwarted a so-called "demonstration killing" plot by the Islamic State.

Earlier Thursday Australian authorities detained 15 people who allegedly planned to publicly behead a random person in Sydney before draping them in the ISIS flag.

"That's the intelligence we received," Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters. "The exhortations - quite direct exhortations - were coming from an Australian who is apparently quite senior in ISIL to networks of support back in Australia to conduct demonstration killings here in this country."

The apparent goal was to demonstrate the reach of the militant group.

"Today's operation reflects the reality of the threat we actually face," CNN quoted Andrew Scipione, commissioner of New South Wales Police.

Australia's prime minster said intelligence in recent months shows that Australia is at serious risk of a terrorist attack.