AKIPRESS.COM - Security is being upgraded at the Australian parliament following "chatter" suggesting extremists could target it for attack.

PM Tony Abbot said Australian Federal Police would assume responsibility for security at the site in Canberra. The move came a day after major anti-terrorism raids took place in Sydney. They were aimed at thwarting an alleged plan by Islamic State (IS) supporters to carry out killings in Australia, including an on-camera beheading.

In recent weeks, IS - a militant Islamist movement which has seized vast areas of Iraq and Syria - has released video footage showing the beheadings of two American journalists and a British aid worker seized. Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Mr Abbott said parliament had been identified as a potential target, reports BBC.

"There certainly has been chatter amongst the terrorist support networks of an attack on government and government people, and Parliament House has been specifically mentioned," he said. As a result, an urgent security review had taken place.

"Subsequently we are placing the Australian Federal Police in charge of security, not just outside the building but inside the building as well," he said. Security has until now been handled by an in-house security team.

Asked about Thursday's raids, Mr Abbott said that security officials had acted quickly to disrupt the alleged terror network "because we believed that a demonstration execution was likely quickly".

More than 800 officers took part in the operation, which resulted in 15 arrests.