A Christmas "terror plot"

in Melbourne was allegedly foiled by the police working in cooperation with the intelligence services. There are several people in custody.
I don't know how they do this surveillance. Well, that's not quite true. I have some idea of how they do the surveillance. It isn't the sort of "007" thing that makes the James Bond movies so popular. It relies heavily on other things. It is often routine and boring waiting for that small nugget of information which will allow bits to fall into place.
It is like searching for rare jewels in a mine far underground. There are tunnels which will be dead ends. There are promising tunnels which will not produce results or something has been missed. There are other tunnels which will curve and meet one dug by someone else - and when they do meet they will wonder what they have missed or who has fooled them into following that path. They will bring small jewels to the surface and try to fit them into the jigsaw laid out, a jigsaw for which they have no picture.
A friend of mine has been anxiously awaiting the release of her husband from hospital. He's home now but is still on an infusion of antibiotics. A nurse has to come in each day. My friend, who once worked as a medical technician, offered to do what needs to be done but was told it was not allowed. No, someone else will work on Christmas Day so he can have time with his family. My doctor nephew and his partner, a specialist nurse, worked last year. This year they are in another country, attending the wedding of a friend. It took a lot of organisation for several young doctors to be on leave at this time but they will be back and work on New Year's Eve so that others can  take time off.
Being a "spy" isn't fun. Working in essential services and industries isn't fun either. I am genuinely grateful people are willing to do it. And that is why, tomorrow morning, I will do what I always do. I will open the work e-mail and check to see if there is anything extremely urgent. If there is, I will deal with it then and there because somewhere someone will be working and I am lucky enough to be planning a day out.
If you are working on Christmas Day I thank you.