Three men who planned to commit a terror attack in Melbourne's CBD, killing multiple people with a rifle, have each been sentenced to a decade behind bars.

Hanifi Halis, Samed Eriklioglu and Ertunc Eriklioglu were each sentenced to a maximum of ten years' jail before the County Court today, having each pleaded guilty to conspiring to do acts in preparation for a terrorist attack.

The two brothers and their friend, who met through a multicultural youth centre, were arrested at their homes in Melbourne's north-western suburbs in November 2018 before they could carry out the attack.

They had paid a cash deposit for a semiautomatic rifle, which they had planned to use to kill as many people as possible in Melbourne's CBD.
The court heard the men were inspired and "enthused" by the Bourke Street terror attack on 9 November 2018 in which Hassan Khalif Shire Ali stabbed and killed cafe owner Sisto Malaspina.

The group then discussed travelling overseas to fight for the Islamic state and devised a plan to use a firearm to kill people in the CBD.

Read more: 9News (Australia)