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

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Director-General 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 report, which he described as his "most important, serious, and sober report to date." This highlights the severity of the threats Australia faces.

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 primarily affected by wars in the Middle East and Europe, as well as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated that many of the fundamental foundations of Australian democracy are being tested, emphasizing ongoing threats from foreign governments, as well as political violence involving nationalism, neo-Nazism, and anti-Semitism. These challenges require vigilant attention and proactive measures.

In a world where a "minority of authoritarian regimes" are becoming increasingly aggressive, leading to possible state-sponsored assassinations and attempted murders affecting even our closest allies, Burgess warned that Australia is not immune. ASIO investigators have discovered at least three countries "plotting to cause physical harm to people living in Australia," in some cases causing people to have "grave fears" for their lives. This underscores the pervasive nature of foreign interference.

Burgess shared broad details of two of these cases without naming any countries. In one instance, 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. Burgess said, "They planned to stage an 'accident,' but it would be no accident, with the aim of seriously injuring or killing the activist." Such plots demonstrate a blatant disregard for human rights and Australian sovereignty.

Last year, another hostile foreign intelligence service wanted to "harm or even kill one or more people in Australia" as part of a broad international effort to "silence critics of a foreign government – activists, journalists, ordinary citizens" worldwide. Burgess said ASIO managed to intervene and disrupt both plots. "Needless to say, such plots are abhorrent," he said at Canberra's Ben Chifley Building. "They involve not only plans to harm people – which is obviously bad enough – but a shocking attack on Australian sovereignty and the freedoms we cherish." ASIO's intervention was crucial in protecting lives and upholding Australia's values.

Despite these and other efforts by hostile foreign governments, many of the intelligence agency's biggest concerns come from within. While traditional terrorist groups are regaining their capabilities, none of the terrorist events that occurred last year were directly linked to overseas organizations, Burgess said, "Our biggest threat remains the lone wolf using readily available weapons." Burgess expressed concern about young Australians being drawn into "religiously and ideologically driven hate networks" and predicted a difficult period for social cohesion, with a surge in community violence. The focus on domestic threats highlights the importance of addressing radicalization and extremism within Australia.

He fears that anti-Semitic attacks "have not yet peaked" after shifting from harassment and intimidation to specific targets. He mentioned Hamas's October 7 attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel, and Israel's devastating response that has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, with nearly 70% of buildings in Gaza destroyed, and condemned by many as disproportionate. He said, "Anti-Semitism in Australia pre-dated the tragic events in Gaza, and the protracted conflict has fed it, and provided an excuse for some anti-Semites." Jewish Australians are also increasingly conflated with the State of Israel, leading to an increase in anti-Semitic incidents. The normalization of violent protests and intimidation lowers the threshold for provocative and potentially violent behavior. "Narratives initially focused on 'liberating Palestine' have expanded to include incitement to 'kill the Jews.'" The rise in anti-Semitism requires a concerted effort to combat hate speech and protect vulnerable communities.

In a wide-ranging speech, Burgess revealed that ASIO had alerted US authorities to a 12-year-old boy who was plotting a mass shooting in the United States. ASIO's online staff had discovered an individual identifying himself as a neo-Nazi on a popular social networking site. The boy talked about live-streaming a school shooting, then moving on to churches, synagogues, or mosques. This case underscores the global reach of online radicalization and the importance of international cooperation in combating extremism.

The Australian intelligence agency also discovered a cyber division from an unnamed foreign government targeting critical infrastructure networks in the United States. The division regularly attempted to probe and exploit Australian networks, mapping systems to enable future malware implantation or maintain access. Burgess said, "ASIO worked closely with our US counterparts to evict the hackers and shut down their global access, including nodes in Australia." This highlights the ongoing threat of cyberattacks and the importance of strong cybersecurity defenses.

Foreign intelligence agencies are targeting Australia's AUKUS partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom, which will provide Australia with a fleet of submarines powered by US nuclear technology. In addition to the submarine deal, AUKUS Pillar Two involves cooperation on a broader range of security technologies, including artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and hypersonic systems. Burgess said, "ASIO has detected foreign intelligence services trying to target AUKUS, in order to position themselves, gather information about these capabilities, how Australia intends to use them, and undermine confidence among our allies. AUKUS will remain a priority target for intelligence collection, including from countries we would consider to be friendly." The AUKUS partnership presents a significant intelligence challenge, requiring vigilance and robust security measures to protect sensitive information.