ASIO warns of religiously motivated terror attack within next year

Australia’s top intelligence agency has warned it is likely the nation will see an ideologically or religiously motivated terrorist attack within the next 12 months. Appearing before Parliament’s intelligence and security committee the ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said there is reason to believe lone actors and groups have both the capability and intent to carry out a terror attack. “The terrorism threat level remains probable … If you look at our current case load, we still think that Sunni based violent extremism is the major concern,” he said. Extremist messages resonating with Australians are largely race based according to the ASIO boss who noted white supremacism was a racist narrative which was supported by some. Asked whether he has seen evidence of “extreme misogyny” purported by Labor Senator Kristina Keneally, the ASIO boss responded in the affirmative and noted it went hand in hand with “nationalist and racist violent extremist” narratives.

Australia’s top intelligence agency has warned it is likely the nation will see an ideologically or religiously motivated terrorist attack within the next 12 months.

Appearing before Parliament’s intelligence and security committee the ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said there is reason to believe lone actors and groups have both the capability and intent to carry out a terror attack.

“The terrorism threat level remains probable … If you look at our current case load, we still think that Sunni based violent extremism is the major concern,” he said.

Extremist messages resonating with Australians are largely race based according to the ASIO boss who noted white supremacism was a racist narrative which was supported by some.

Asked whether he has seen evidence of “extreme misogyny” purported by Labor Senator Kristina Keneally, the ASIO boss responded in the affirmative and noted it went hand in hand with “nationalist and racist violent extremist” narratives.

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