By defence correspondent Andrew Greene, ABC
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess, centre, has revealed hostile foreign nations had plotted to kill or harm critics on Australian soil. Photo: ABC News / Matt Roberts
Intelligence officials have disrupted numerous attempts by hostile countries to kill or harm critics in Australia, and in one recent operation even thwarted a plot to lure an unsuspecting human rights activist overseas, who was to be silenced in an "accident".
The boss of the country's domestic intelligence agency has delivered his annual threat assessment, where he's also expressed concern antisemitic attacks have "not yet plateaued", and warned Russia could soon conduct sabotage against Australia.
In a wide-ranging speech, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) director-general Mike Burgess has detailed how his organisation has identified "at least three" different countries plotting to "physically harm people" living in Australia.
"In a small number of cases, we held grave fears for the life of the person being targeted. In one operation, a foreign intelligence service wanted to silence an Australia-based human rights activist," Burgess said on Wednesday evening.
Last year, ASIO discovered another hostile foreign intelligence service wanted to harm and possibly kill one or more individuals on Australian soil, and working with international partners helped disrupt the global plot.
"We determined this plot was part of a broader effort by the regime to eliminate critics of the foreign government around the world - activists, journalists, ordinary citizens," Burgess revealed in a speech delivered inside ASIO's Canberra headquarters.
"It goes without saying that plots like these are repugnant. They not only involve plans to hurt people - obviously bad enough - they are shocking assaults on Australian sovereignty and the freedoms we hold dear.
"Beyond those egregious examples, multiple foreign regimes continually attempt to monitor, harass, intimidate and coerce cooperation from Australians and those who call Australia home," the ASIO boss added.
While discussing foreign interference, Burgess issued a warning that nations would likely attempt to meddle in the soon-to-be held federal election - but said ASIO "will be watching".
The ABC understands the foreign diplomatic corps was briefed by the Australian Electoral Commission on expected behaviour during elections, and warned action would be taken if nations interfered.
ASIO also recently helped US authorities prevent a potential school shooting by a 12-year-old American "self-professed neo-Nazi", who had been discussing online his plans to livestream an attack that would also target a church, synagogue or mosque.
"We immediately brought the case to the attention of our US counterpart, and they were able to prevent a potential massacre - thanks to ASIO's intelligence," Burgess said.
Attacks on Jewish Australians feared to continue
While warning of a rise in "communal violence", the ASIO director-general expressed fears antisemitic attacks had "not yet plateaued" in Australia as the local Jewish population continues to be "increasingly conflated with the state of Israel".
Burgess described how narratives originally centred on "freeing Palestine" have expanded to include incitements to "kill the Jews" since the recent tragic events in the Middle East.
"Threats transitioned from harassment and intimidation to specific targeting of Jewish communities, places of worship and prominent figures. I am concerned these attacks have not yet plateaued," he said.
"A hyper-connected world will allow political tensions or conflicts overseas to resonate quickly in Australia, spread by social media and online echo chambers, inflamed by mis- or disinformation."
Sabotage by foreign states a rising concern for ASIO
For the first time, the ASIO boss has also declassified parts of his organisation's most recent "futures assessment" that outlines threats out to 2030, and that he describes as "an uncomfortable assessment".
"Over the next five years, a complex, challenging and changing security environment will become more dynamic, more diverse and more degraded," Burgess said of the document.
He also warned how a "small number of authoritarian regimes are behaving more aggressively, more recklessly, more dangerously" and are "more willing" to carry out "high harm" activities.
"Russia's brazen acts of sabotage in Europe show authoritarian regimes are willing to use a wider range of tools and tactics to coerce, intimidate and damage perceived adversaries.
"As a supporter of and supplier to Ukraine, it is conceivable Russia could also target Australia for sabotage," Burgess predicted.
"Cyber units from at least one nation state routinely try to explore and exploit Australia's critical infrastructure networks, almost certainly mapping systems so they can lay down malware or maintain access in the future."
-ABC
