Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott During An Official Visit To Putrajaya, Malaysia
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott speaks at a joint news conference with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak during an official visit in Putrajaya September 6, 2014. Reuters/Olivia Harris

Australia has arrested a 23-year-old man in Melbourne, suspected to be funding a U.S. citizen to fight for Islamic State.

The suspect, named Hassan El Sabsabi, has been accused of sending $12,000 to a U.S. citizen he met on the social media. The fund was to support his travel to Syria, where IS and other jihadist groups are active. Sabsabi was arrested after an eight-month investigation by the Australian police, on being tipped off by the FBI, reported Yahoo! News.

Graham Ashton, Deputy Commissioner of Victoria Police confirmed it as a case of terror financing. The police conducted more raids in Melbourne following this arrest. Earlier in September, Australia had raised its terror perception level to the second highest category in a scale of four. Consequently, many anti-terror raids were conducted in cities of Sydney and Brisbane after threats to abduct and publicly behead citizens, were reported.

Anti-Terror Laws

There are more teeth to Australia's anti-terror drive now. It brought a new anti-terrorism law in September, empowering the government to detain suspected terrorists and search their homes. The legislation also allows authorities to extract information from any Australian returning from conflict zones relating to his background and get an undertaking that no terrorist activities were undertaken.

Recently an Australian youth suspected of terrorist links was shot dead by police after he stabbed two officers. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has already exhorted citizens to maintain the "delicate balance" between freedom and security in the light of the heightened terror risk.

Alienation

Meanwhile, a section of Australia's Muslims is feeling under siege. They say the language used in the public debate about the terrorist group ISIS is making them upset, reported Business Insider. Ghaith Krayem, secretary of the Islamic Council of Victoria said, his community was feeling disappointed by the comments by the police and administrators. According to him, the language used by politicians, including Prime Minister Tony Abbot needs more refinement. He said when tension exists people perceive things through a lens of anxiety and react in ways they may not react normally.

But government sources say Australia is only being cautious on the terror front, after it became a victim. The country lost more than 200 nationals in the terror bombings of Bali in 2002, and recently 36 Australians were killed in the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 that crashed in Ukraine.