Missing detail in ASIO's terror threat announcement: 'Just a little peek'
Terrorism expert Greg Barton says the heightened threat level puts Australians on notice, but there is a lot the public has not been told.
This week the country's terror threat level was increased from possible to probable by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the country's intelligence agency ASIO, and although a lot was said in the press conference announcing the change, it's the detail withheld that is likely to be of most concern.
Greg Barton, an expert in terrorism and violent extremism, told Yahoo News the information released was just a little peek behind the curtain, and there's still a lot we don't know about the updated threat.
"There's always a whole lot of stuff that isn't said, and can't be said," Professor Barton from Deakin University explained.
The last time Australia's terror threat level was at 'probable' was 10 years ago when the "Islamic State had declared its caliphate" and tensions were rising amid its growing influence, he explained.
"It stayed at that level for eight years so that broadly tells you something about where we are at," Barton said.
Australia's threat level was recently moved from the second to the third tier — out of a possible five — meaning security intelligence has identified a heightened risk of terror, or planning of terror, within the next 12 months.
ASIO's chief Mike Burgess attributed this risk not to any one specific thing but to several, including the war in Gaza, which has "fuelled grievances" and "exacerbated division" in Australia, as well as tension in the Middle East and the rise in conspiracy theories, making Aussies more polarised.
"More Australians are embracing a more diverse range of extreme ideologies and more Australians are willing to use violence to advance their cause," Burgess said at the press conference on Monday.
Why we are only told limited information, security expert explains
ASIO won't want to publicly disclose sensitive information or sources about the intelligence it has obtained, as doing so can jeopardise security, Barton said. However, flagging it to the nation helps Aussies "take notice" and "look out for problems" in public places.
"It's a reminder that if we're out and about and see something that concerns us," he said.
Examples of suspicious behaviour may include,"somebody [walking] away from a suitcase in a crowded place, somebody acting strangely, moving in the back of a crowd," he said.
The advice to Aussies, if spotted, is to "speak up and let somebody know." Triple-0 is the best place to report any suspicious behaviour.
ASIO tells Aussies to 'watch your words'
After the announcement on Monday, the ASIO chief renewed calls for every Aussie to "watch your words" regardless of whether they're a politician debating in parliament or a member of the public debating an idea online, as it can spread misinformation or further exacerbate tension. It's a warning Barton has echoed too.
"We've had quite a bit of that in Australia, demonising certain groups, using language which really has elements of hate speech in it. It's not just unpleasant and nasty, it can lead to real violence," he said.
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