Given the disatisfaction & the anger the people have for this Government, then yes they may well be at risk, from their own citizens, but we call it revolution... Seriously, the lengths these idiots will go, the biggest threat we have comes from our own Government!! Experts: Australians more at risk of being hit by a car than witnessing terrorist attack on home soil SEPTEMBER 10, 2014 12:51PM AUSTRALIA’S head of security has revealed a serious concern over the threat of a terror attack on home soil. The outgoing director-general of ASIO David Irvine told ABC’s 7.30 the threat of an attack has been building over the last year, and that he has an “elevated level of concern”. “In Australia, we’ve been very lucky in that we have avoided an attack on Australian soil ... but we’ve also had to stop terrorist attacks occurring in Australia. “We are certainly aware of people wanting to conduct terror attacks in the west and in Australia. We are facing a persistent threat.” Mr Irvine, who steps down on the 13th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, told host Leigh Sales that while Australian authorities had thwarted previous attempts to attack the land Down Under, Australia continues to be on the hit list of major terrorist organisations like al-Qaeda and ISIL. “The current propaganda and talk is of continuing to conduct terrorist attacks in the west, including Australia,” he said. WHAT ARE THE LIKELY TARGETS? The Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge are under threat of a terrorist attack, but they’re not the only Australian landmarks at risk. According to terrorism experts, a tendency towards “doomsday, apocalyptic strategies” and a need to affect large numbers of casualties in symbolic places means the iconic coathanger and its neighbour, the Sydney Opera House, are prime targets for an attack on home soil. “It’s harder and harder to get media attention these days, so terrorist attacks are intended to be shocking,” said Dr David Malet, a senior lecturer in International Relations at the University of Melbourne and the author of Foreign Fighters. “Unless somebody was trying to attack ASIO, they’d be looking to get international attention and that would be something iconic.” Justin Hastings, a terrorism expert from the University of Sydney, told news.au the iconic Australian pair are a terrorist’s dream because “you can get a two-for-one in Sydney in terms of landmarks by setting it off in Circular Quay.” To make matters more terrifying, Al-Qaeda’s official magazine has used the Sydney Opera House as an example of a suitable target for a homegrown terrorist attack. The photo was included in a 2011 issue of Inspire, an online magazine published by associates of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The picture illustrates a section that aims to educate English-speaking terrorists on bomb-making and use of the AK-47 automatic rifles. Sydney’s public transport system is also at risk, echoing the devastating 2004 Madrid train bombings and the 2005 suicide attacks in London. “If I wanted to rock the Australian way of life I’d bomb a train,” said Mr Hastings. “If something goes wrong in Central everything shuts down.” While government buildings were not out of danger, Mr Hastings said they’re a harder target to hit. “Government buildings are a lot harder to do anything to, they’re generally well defended. ARE WE REALLY AT RISK? Australia’s terrorist threat has never been higher, but it’s also never been lower. According to Clive Williams, lecturer on terrorism studies at Macquarie University, you’ve got more chance of being knocked down by a car then being exposed to a terrorist attack. Mr Williams believes it’s highly unlikely for extremist group ISIL to target Australia in an attack, telling news.au a terror attack on home soil is “possible”, but certainly not imminent. Other experts agree, believing that while the threat of an attack is “marginal”, it’s certainly possible. “There’s a marginal threat, you can’t say its definitely not going to happen but I haven’t seen an indication that would lead to a noticeably greater risk of a terrorist attack than before, said Dr Hastings. According to Dr Malet, the more terrorists travelling overseas, the less likely of an attack on home soil. “Ironically enough, the number of these people going to Iraq and Syria probably decreases the risk of a terror attack in the short term, because they’re going overseas instead of engaging here. “Potentially a number of them are becoming suicide bombers and they’re being killed.” “We don’t know how (much) greater the risk is today, we do know that terrorism has changed, there’s been a trend in high casualty suicide attacks.” AUSTRALIA’S THREAT LEVEL REMAINS UNCHANGED IN 11 YEARS Australia’s terrorist alert has remain unchanged since our National Terrorism Public Alert System came into force in 2003, driven by the September 11, 2001 attacks. “We’ve never been beyond ‘medium’ since the system came into being,” Mr Williams confirmed. According to its website, the system is “a range of four levels that communicate an assessed risk of terrorist threat to Australia”. They are: ■ Low — terrorist attack is not expected ■ Medium — terrorist attack could occur ■ High — terrorist attack is likely ■ Extreme — terrorist attack is imminent or has occurred “The Australian government regularly reviews alert levels,” it reads. On 7.30 last night, Mr Irvine revealed security authorities are “actively considering” raising Australian’s terrorism threat level from “medium” to “high”, as soon as the end of the week. “I’m certainly contemplating very seriously the notion of lifting it higher. Mr Irvine claimed the risk was higher thanks to “the numbers of people that we are now having to be concerned about in Australia, because of the influence of Syria and Iraq on young Australians both in terms of going to those places to fight but also what they are doing here in Australia with a potential intent to attack.” Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said Mr Irvine’s warning does not “surprise” him, but it is up to ASIO to raise the terror alert level. “Where that threat level is set is a matter for the Director General and I think he’s made some pretty clear comments there,” the Immigration Minister told ABC Radio this morning. Mr Morrison agreed we are living in “very uncertain times”, arguing that is why the government is beefing up counter-terror laws. “The issues in Iraq and Syria are not just occurring there in terms of their potential reach,” he said. “They can reach countries such as Australia.” Shadow Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said the outgoing chief is “extremely well respected” and Labor takes what he says “very seriously”. “There’s no doubt that terrorism remains a constant threat and the Islamic State in particular represents an increasingly organised threat,” he said. “Our challenge is to ensure that our national security capability adapts and continues to meet emerging these threats. “Labor will continue to support the Government in its most important responsibility — ensuring the safety of Australian citizens.” WHO IS LIKELY TO ATTACK? Experts suggest we need to be less concerned about the threat of an ISIL attack, and more about extremists on home soil — of every faith and colour. “Everybody thinks about Muslim extremism, but there’s also right wing groups that engage in [raced-based] violence, like the Cronulla riots.” said Mr Williams. Known terrorists have difficulty getting into western countries, so their preferred strategy has been to encourage home grown terrorism. “They’re the people that are difficult to spot because they’re not part of a large organisation. They dont have the warning signs that those going to the Middle East would have,” said Mr Hastings. On 7.30 last night, Mr Irvine confirmed in “recent months, we’ve had quite heightened operational activities because of the numbers of people involved. “You can rest assured that the Australian authorities know what they’re looking at and taking very appropriate steps to monitor the situation,” he said. WHAT DOES THE GOVERNMENT HAVE TO SAY? In recent weeks, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has ramped up the rhetoric foreshadowing a terrorist attack on Australian soil. The federal government has announced a $630 million injection into its security services to thwart the threat of an attack. “If there is one thing that could damage the rich and strong fabric — social fabric — of our country it would be a mass-casualty event,” Mr Abbott said as he spruiked new terror laws last month. “The last thing we should be complacent about is this. This is a domestic security situation for Australia as much as it is for the Middle East. Mr Abbott and his Liberal counterparts have stepped up the warnings of the danger of Islamic alarmists, particularly the Australians involved in the organisation IS. “We are dealing with pure evil,” Mr Abbott has continually said. “(IS) revels in evil, and abundantly justifies what Australia is doing to assist people that are threatened and at risk of this murderous rage. “As soon as they’ve done something gruesome and ghastly and unspeakable, they’re advertising it on the internet for all to see, which makes them, in my mind, nothing but a death cult. That’s why I think it’s quite proper to respond with extreme force against people like this.” But not everyone is convinced. Dr Malet said an elected politician will never want to be seen to have voted against something that prevented at attack. “The government will always claim it needs more authority, it’s very unlikely the government will ever give it up.” THE INTRODUCTION OF ANTI-TERRORISM LAWS When parliament resumes later this month, Attorney-General George Brandis will introduce a swathe of new anti-terrorism laws linking the evils of the Islamic State with the potential for terrorist attacks on Australian soil. Mr Brandis has previously told parliament the escalating terrorist situation in Iraq and Syria and the risk of returning foreign fighters to Australia was the greatest national security threat facing the country in many years. In grappling with this unprecedented threat of homegrown terrorism, the government has proposed a sweep of new laws and expanded powers for the nation’s security agencies. It’s already announced $64 million to try and stop young Australians from being radicalised and heading overseas, while the Australian Federal Police will get a boost at home and abroad. It will receive an extra $6 million to divert and monitor radicals returning to Australia while two dedicated teams will disrupt domestic extremist activities. An additional $12 million will also help establish AFP posts in Turkey and Jordan. AUSTRALIAN TERRORISTS OVERSEAS What the government is particularly concerned about is the 60 Australians involved in terrorist groups overseas, including in Syria and northern Iraq. It is believed some are involved — and recruited — with the IS movement. “If these foreign fighters, terrorists, come back to Australia, we fear their will be an attempt at terrorism activities,” Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said after the brutal beheading of journalist Steven Sotloff. A further 100 Australians “are known to have been supporting or facilitating these terrorist groups,” according to Mr Abbott. “We have seen the training of young people over there (Iraq and Syria) to be suicide bombers,” Mr Irvine told the National Press Club last week. “The process of recruitment, which I also think is grooming, is occurring here.” The number of Australians of potential security concern to ASIO has increased substantially, but Mr Irvine said the “tiny number” of violent extremists did not represent the Islamic community at large. “You can rest assured that the Australian authorities know what they’re looking at and taking very appropriate steps to monitor the situation,” Mr Irvine told 7.30. “Certainly in recent months we’ve had quite heightened operational activities because of the numbers of people involved.” WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP Mr Williams urged Australians to call the National Security Hotline on 1800 1234 00 if they see something that worries them. “Be alert and be alarmed. Keep your wits about you.” But whatever you do, don’t expect the worst. In an email to the Department Foreign Affairs and Trade, news.au was directed to the Attorney General George Brandis’ office. In one week, our questions remain unanswered. news.au/national/experts-australians-more-at-risk-of-being-hit-by-a-car-than-witnessing-terrorist-attack-on-home-soil/story-fncynjr2-1227053509319
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 06:06:17 +0000
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