Australia raises terror threat level amid rising extremism

Security chief says Israel-Hamas war a significant driver’ in stoking grievances

- Jonathan Pearlman

Australia raised its terror threat level from "possible" to "probable" on Aug 5 amid growing concerns about rising extremism and polarisation, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Israel-Hamas war.

The move, which raised the threat level to the middle of five levels, was recommended by Australia's domestic spy agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), which said the country's security outlook was becoming "more volatile and more unpredictable".

The director-general of ASIO,Mr Mike Burgess, said the agency did not have intelligence about an immediate or imminent threat but believed there was a greater than 50 per cent chance of an attack being conducted or planned in the next 12 months.

He revealed that eight terror attacks and plots had been disrupted in the last four months.

"More Australians are embracing a more diverse range of extreme ideologies and more Australians are willing to use violence to advance their cause," he told reporters.

"As polarisation, frustration and perceived injustices grow, ASIO anticipates an increase in politically motivated violence, including terrorism." Mr Burgess said Australia, like other countries, had already seen growing levels of intolerance, anti-authority beliefs, violent protests and a lack of trust in institutions. These trends, he said, had increased since the Covid-19 pandemic and again since the Israel-Hamas war.

"Gaza is not the cause of this (threat level) rising, but it's a significant driver," he said.