Federal Attorney-General George Brandis has told the Australian Muslim community they are ‘victims’ who are being ‘preyed upon’ by foreign radicals.

Appearing on ABC’s Q&A on Monday night, Mr Brandis fronted concerned members of the Muslim community who said anti-terror laws and police raids were creating a divide in Australia.

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The Coalition politician said young Muslim men were being ‘targeted’ and ‘cajoled’ by radicals to fight overseas.

“You mightn’t like to hear me say the word victim … but the government thinks this community is being preyed upon … ensnared, cajoled,” Mr Brandis said.

“Please let us not pretend that there is not a specific problem that affects this community,” he said.

“Every last one of those people have been recruited from within this [Muslim] community.”

Muslim Legal Network’s Lydia Shelly: “We are not victims and please don’t paint us as such“ #qanda pic.twitter.com/FUMbeQhRFK

— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) November 3, 2014

Am disappointed that #QandA Execs didn’t treat QandA guests (@lydia_shelly ) with respect to be seated next to Brandis as a panelist @QandA

— Mariam Veiszadeh (@MariamVeiszadeh) November 3, 2014

Members of the audience told Mr Brandis radicalism was a human problem, not a muslim problem, and said recent terror raids were heavy-handed.

Mr Brandis defended the raids which involved hundreds of police, said he would “make absolutely no apologies” for the operation.

“Let us get this straight, the police operation Appleby was not over the top, it was not overreach. The individual was about to commit a terrorist crime, an act of violence, here in Sydney.”

He also defended the use of Tony Abbott’s catchphrase “team Australia”, denying it was divisive.

“Team Australia, from the mouth of Tony abbott is a word on inclusion.”

“It’s his favourite collective noun, to address the word as team, which is certainly what he meant in that press conference.”