Terror suspects aplenty

Fears police surveillance resources are swamped

SWAMPED Queensland counter-terrorism police are monitoring more than 100 suspects in the state’s southeast – a shocking figure never before revealed.

The intense physical and digital surveillance has sparked a desperate call for more hi-tech resources before the state is rocked by a catastrophic event.

The Bulletin understands the number of those monitored is more than 100 but fewer than 150. They are on the list because of intelligence, behaviour or and family.

Most are in the state’s southeast corner. They include teens but range in age, sex and employment status.

It is understood police fear they could become lone wolf attackers, financiers of terror, returned foreign fighters, or someone who intends to sneak into the Middle East to become a jihadi for ISIS.

Some suspects for years. undertake the their associates are monitored Agencies labourintensive process of listening, translating and decoding phone calls and digital communication.

The Queensland Police Union’s call for extra resources from the Turnbull Government has revealed the extraordinary spyware capability available to law enforcement agencies, which are operating under a terror level of “probable”.

Queensland counterterrorism police are among the nation’s best and work with the Australian Federal Police disrupt planned attacks.

But union president Ian Leavers said while the Federal Government had pumped $1.5 billion into fighting terrorism, the funding had not reached officers at the coalface.

“Queensland police are being swamped with potential terrorism targets we are monitoring,’’ Mr Leavers said. “The Federal Government needs to step up to start delivering to increase counterterrorism capability.’’ to

“This should be a state and federal partnership. The state has just put in almost $50 million for training and now we need the Federal Government to step up too to avoid an incident.”

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart has reinforced the need for good relationships between police and communities.

“There is an even more important factor to winning this fight against terrorism, and that is the support of our community,’’ Mr Stewart said.

“It is through the community’s willingness to provide critical information to the National Security Hotline, Policelink, Crime Stoppers, or simply by approaching a police officer, that we have the ability to stop tragedies before they occur.”

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan said the Government was committed to keeping Australians safe from terrorism, and he urged the union to raise its concerns with the Palaszczuk Government.

“I urge the union to take its concerns to those responsible for funding the Queensland Police,” he said.