‘Encrypted apps a terror risk’

Australia raises threat alert as Asean vows closer cooperation

Sydney: Use of encrypted messaging apps to plan terrorist attacks is the greatest threat facing intelligence agencies in modern times, Australia warned as South-East Asian leaders vowed closer cooperation to counter extremism.

An Asean-Australia special summit in Sydney heard that use of the “dark web” was a spiralling problem and countries in the region must work together to keep on top of it.

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told the meeting that “the use of encrypted messaging apps by terrorists and criminals is potentially the most significant degradation of intelligence capability in modern times”.

He said the only way to deal with the problem, and the increasing use of the Internet by groups like Islamic State to radicalise and recruit new members, was together.

“We have to be constantly alert, constantly working with our neighbours in the region,” said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, pointing to the increasingly transnational nature of terrorism.

“Sharing of intelligence is critically important. As we all know, what may appear to be a not especially important, not especially consequential piece of intelligence, may be the piece that connects the jigsaw for somebody else’s investigation.

“Trust, sharing, collaboration, it is absolutely critical.”

Asean leaders signed a memorandum of understanding after a day of counter-terrorism talks, agreeing to work together to develop “best practice counter-terrorism legislation”.

They also agreed to regional dialogues and workshops covering electronic evidence, financial intelligence, and ways to tackle online radicalisation.

Canberra is already helping South-East Asian states choke terrorist financing and counter violent extremism.

The problem has been exacerbated by militants being forced out of Syria and Iraq with the Islamic State caliphate mostly crushed, and into other countries.

The issue was driven home last year when pro-Islamic State militants seized the southern Philippine city of Marawi, with Australia aiding Manila to win it back.

Australia has suffered six terror attacks in recent years and disrupted 14 more, including a plot to bring down a plane departing Sydney.

In response, Canberra has consolidated key functions under a newly-created Home Affairs department, headed by Dutton.

He said that to address the issue of apps, Canberra planned to introduce legislation to strengthen agencies’ ability to adapt to encryption. — AFP