‘Possible’ terrorism threat in Australia

Australia’s terrorism threat level has been downgraded from “probable” to “possible” for the first time since 2014, the head of the main domestic spy agency said yesterday.

The defeat of the Daesh in battle in the Middle East and an ineffective Al Qaida propaganda machine failing to connect with Western youth has resulted in fewer extremists in Australia, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Director-General Mike Burgess said. “This does not mean the threat is extinguished,” Burgess said.

“It remains plausible that someone will die at the hands of a terrorist in Australia within the next 12 months,” he added. However, there have been increases in radical nationalism and rightwing extremist ideology in Australia in the past couple of years, Burgess said.

Killing on their minds

“Individuals are still fantasising about killing other Australians, still spouting their hateful ideologies in chat rooms, still honing their capabilities by researching bomb-making and training with weapons,” Burgess said.

There have been 11 terrorist attacks and another 21 plots have been disrupted since the threat assessment was elevated from “possible” to “probable” in 2014, he said.