A plot to blow up a plane with explosives hidden inside a large Barbie doll was foiled thanks to Lebanon’s security services.

The country’s interior minister revealed a flight from Australia to Abu Dhabi was targeted by plotters, who hoped to smuggle a bomb on board.

Nouhad Machnouk, speaking to a Saudi Arabia-owned TV channel, said four Lebanese-Australian brothers, including one being held in Lebanon, were behind the plan.

He added two other brothers have been detained in Australia while a fourth is a senior Islamic State (IS) member living in the terror group’s de facto capital Raqqa, northern Syria.

Earlier this month, Australian police described how an IS commander based overseas ordered a group of Australian men to build a bomb to smuggle onto a 15 July Etihad Airways flight from Sydney.

It was branded one of the most sophisticated plots to have ever been hatched on Australian soil.

The plan was aborted before a high-end explosive in a piece of luggage taken to Sydney’s airport was carried through security.

A second plot, alleged to have involved a chemical dispersion device to release highly-toxic gas, was also claimed to have been in the early stages of planning.

Australian officials have charged two men with two counts of planning a terrorist act.

Police allege the men began communicating with IS in April.

They were arrested on 29 July and are due to next appear in court later this year.