Bloomberg News
Australia increased its terror alert for the first time in a decade, with Prime Minister Tony Abbott citing the threat posed by local supporters of Islamic State militants.
The National Terrorism Public Alert System was raised to high from medium, indicating the government and intelligence authorities believe an attack is likely, Abbott told reporters in Melbourne today. The increase to the second-highest level doesn't mean an attack is imminent, he said.
Australia has 'intelligence that there are people with the intent and the capability to mount attacks' in Australia, Abbott said. 'We need to be aware that there are people who wish to do us harm and are preparing to do us harm.'
The prime minister, who will host world leaders at November's Group of 20 summit in Brisbane, is strengthening laws against domestic supporters of extremist groups such as the Islamic State. The government, which says at least 60 Australian citizens are fighting with militant groups, has taken part in U.S.-led air-drops of humanitarian aid and transport of arms to help counter the Islamic State in Iraq.
'The Australian government has become aware in recent months that the problem is much bigger than it previously thought,' said Greg Barton, a professor at Monash University's School of Political and Social Inquiry in Melbourne. 'The links between foreign-based fighters and home-grown extremists have become more apparent.'
Increased Security
Raising the alert will mean increased security screenings at airports, ports, government buildings and public gatherings such as major sporting events, including this month's Australian football final in Melbourne that attracts up to 100,000 supporters. Australia's four-level public alert system had remained on 'medium' since it was initiated in 2003, meaning a terror attack 'could occur.'
The increase follows a similar move by the U.K, which last month raised its alert to the second-highest level. Prime Minister David Cameron has warned the battle against Islamic extremism is a 'generational struggle' that will probably last decades.
President Barack Obama said in an address to the nation Sept. 10 that the U.S. would lead a 'broad coalition' in a 'relentless' campaign to destroy Islamic State extremists in Iraq and Syria. Australia hasn't ruled out using its military for airstrikes in the Middle East.
Australia has deployed a C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster aircraft to the Middle East to help victims of Islamic State in northern Iraq. It's joined Canada, Italy, France, the U.K. and the U.S. in the air-drops of aid and transportation of arms and munitions.
Police Arrests
The government has said that at least 60 Australians are fighting with terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq, 20 have returned from fighting abroad and about 100 more are funding or facilitating militants. Australian Federal Police on Sept. 10 arrested two Brisbane men for allegedly 'recruiting, facilitating and funding people to travel to Syria to engage in hostile activities.'
Abbott's Liberal-National coalition government last month committed an additional A$630 million over four years to counter-terrorism measures. It plans to introduce security laws that will allow the arrest and jailing of returning foreign fighters while preventing extremists from departing Australia.
Long-time Target
Australia has been a target for extremist groups for 'a very, very long time,' the nation's intelligence chief, David Irvine, said in today's press conference with Abbott. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation was responsible for the decision to increase the alert, Irvine said.
A quarter of Australia's population was born overseas, with 43 percent having at least one overseas-born parent, according to the 2011 census. The number of Muslims rose 69 percent in the decade to 2011 to 476,300, or 2.2 percent of the population of 21.5 million at the time, the data show.
The majority of Muslim immigrants to Australia were law-abiding, Abbott said today.
The coalition was elected a year ago, promising to strengthen Australia's borders against a wave of asylum seekers arriving in the nation by boat, and to get the federal budget back to surplus.
While the government has claimed victory in stopping the boats, some of its budget savings measures are stalled in parliament and the coalition is trailing in opinion polls.
'The government has struggled to sell it's core economic message so from a purely political point of view it won't be upset that the headlines are now being dominated by security issues,' said Stephen Stockwell, a political analyst at Griffith University in Brisbane. 'While the economy can be divisive, almost everyone agrees that Islamic State needs to be stopped.'
To contact the reporter on this story: Jason Scott in Canberra at jscott14@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rosalind Mathieson at rmathieson3@bloomberg.net Edward Johnson, Iain McDonald
Posted by Unknown on Thursday, September 11, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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