Tourists were target of Sydney terror kidnap plot

Tourists were also the target of a terror cell's plot to kidnap someone from a Sydney street and then behead them in a public place, according to US authorities.

Counter-terrorism officers swooped on the cell in dramatic raids last September in a successful bid to disrupt the plot, which was allegedly led by Mohamed Ali Baryalei, an Australian fighting with the Islamic State who is now thought to be deceased.

US National Security Council counterterrorism director Avery Alpha, who is a key White House adviser, said the plan was to capture and behead either an Australian citizen or a US, British or French tourist, News Corp reports.

"An Australian foreign terrorist fighter has been among the first to demonstrate that they can now be just as dangerous from afar," she was quoted as telling a counterterrorism conference in Washington.

"While fighting alongside ISIL in Syria, he reached back to direct an Australian cell to behead Australian citizens or US, British, or French tourists.

"Fortunately, Australian authorities disrupted the cell before they could carry out their plans."