ASIO boss says three foreign governments plotted to hurt critics in Australia

The Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), Mike Burgess, revealed that at least three different foreign governments have been discovered plotting to harm critics residing in Australia. Burgess shared this information in his annual threat assessment, which he described as his "most important, most sober, and most serious" report to date. This highlights the persistent dangers faced by individuals exercising their right to free speech within Australia.

Burgess warned that Australia is expected to face more security shocks in the next five years than it has in the past decade, which was impacted by wars in the Middle East and Europe, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated that many foundations of Australian democracy are being tested, emphasizing the ongoing threats from foreign governments, as well as political violence involving nationalism, neo-Nazism, and antisemitism. The convergence of these factors creates a complex and challenging security landscape for Australia.

In a world where a "minority of authoritarian regimes" are becoming increasingly aggressive, with even state-sponsored assassinations and attempted assassinations affecting Australia's closest allies, Burgess warned that Australia is not immune. ASIO investigators have identified at least three countries "plotting to cause physical harm to people living in Australia," in some cases raising "grave concerns" for their safety. This underscores the global reach of authoritarian regimes and their willingness to target dissidents abroad.

To suppress a human rights activist residing in Australia, a foreign intelligence agency attempted to lure them to a third country, where the plotters were waiting. "They planned to stage an 'accident'," Burgess said, "but it was anything but, with the intention to seriously injure or even kill the activist." Last year, another hostile foreign intelligence service wanted to "hurt or even kill one or more people inside Australia" as part of a broader international campaign aimed at "silencing critics of the foreign government around the world – activists, journalists, ordinary citizens." ASIO successfully intervened and disrupted both plots, demonstrating its proactive role in protecting individuals and Australian sovereignty.

Speaking at the Ben Chifley Building in Canberra, Burgess said: "There is no question these plots are abhorrent. Not only do they involve plans to harm people – which is obviously bad enough – but they are a shocking affront to Australian sovereignty and the freedoms we cherish." Despite these and other efforts from hostile foreign governments, many of ASIO's greatest concerns stem from within Australia, indicating a complex interplay of internal and external threats.

While traditional terrorist groups are regaining their capabilities, none of the terrorist incidents that occurred last year were directly linked to overseas organizations. Burgess stated that "our greatest threat remains lone wolf attackers using easily accessible weapons." He also expressed concern about young Australians falling into "religiously and ideologically motivated hate networks," and predicted a difficult period for social cohesion, with a surge in community violence. He fears that antisemitic attacks "have not yet peaked" after shifting from harassment and intimidation to specific targets, highlighting the evolving nature of domestic extremism.

Burgess stated that "antisemitism existed in Australia before the tragic events in Israel, but the protracted conflict has provided it with nourishment – and some antisemites with an excuse." He was referring to the Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people in Israel, and Israel's devastating response, which has caused the deaths of over 48,000 Palestinians, the destruction of nearly 70% of buildings in Gaza, and has been condemned by many as disproportionate. "Jewish Australians are also increasingly conflated with the State of Israel, leading to an increase in antisemitic incidents. The normalisation of violent protest and intimidation lowers the threshold for provocative and potentially violent behaviour. Narratives initially focused on 'Free Palestine' have expanded to include incitement to 'Kill the Jews'." This illustrates the complex and dangerous intersection of international conflicts and domestic extremism.

In a wide-ranging speech, Burgess revealed that ASIO had alerted U.S. authorities to a 12-year-old boy who was planning a mass shooting in the United States. ASIO online operatives discovered an individual identifying as a neo-Nazi on a popular social networking site. The boy talked about live-streaming a school shooting before going to a church, synagogue, or mosque. The Australian intelligence agency also discovered a cyber division from an unnamed foreign government targeting critical U.S. infrastructure networks. This division routinely attempted to probe and exploit Australian networks, mapping systems to implant malware or maintain access for future use, demonstrating the interconnectedness of global cyber threats.

Burgess said, "ASIO worked closely with our U.S. counterparts to evict the hackers and shut down their global access, including nodes in Australia." Foreign intelligence agencies have targeted Australia's AUKUS partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom, which will provide Australia with a fleet of submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology. In addition to the submarine agreement, AUKUS Pillar Two involves cooperation on a broader range of security technologies, including artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and hypersonic systems. The partnership represents a significant shift in Australia's defense capabilities and strategic alignment.

Burgess said, "ASIO has detected foreign intelligence services trying to target AUKUS in order to collect information about these capabilities, how Australia intends to use them, and to undermine confidence among our allies. AUKUS will remain a priority target for intelligence collection, including from countries we would consider to be friendly." This underscores the intense geopolitical competition surrounding advanced technologies and the importance of protecting sensitive information related to strategic partnerships.