News

Australia lowers terrorism threat to "possible"

Director general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, Mike Burgess, has announced that the country's terrorism threat level has been lowered to "possible" from "probable" for the first time since 2014.

Burgess said that the defeat of the Islamic State group in the Middle East and an ineffective al-Qaida propaganda machine that has failed to connect with Western youth, has resulted in fewer extremists in Australia.

Burgess said: “This does not mean the threat is extinguished."

"It remains plausible that someone will die at the hands of a terrorist in Australia within the next 12 months."

"Individuals are still fantasizing about killing other Australians, still spouting their hateful ideologies in chat rooms, still honing their capabilities by researching bomb-making and training with weapons."

Since 2014, there are been 11 terrorist attacks and 21 disrupted plots in Australia. There have also been 153 terrorism-related charges from 79 counterterrorism operations.

Image: Pixabay

Partners

View the latest
digital issue