Australia has raised its terrorist threat level from “possible” to “probable,” indicating a more than 50 per cent chance of an attack being planned in the next 12 months, Australian media reported.
Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), said the country’s intelligence agencies had prevented eight possible terrorist attacks in the past four months.
“Probable” is the average level of the five-level National Terrorism Threat Warning System, which has been warning of a “possible” attack since November 2022. Prior to that, it was equal to “probable” for eight consecutive years.
Mr. Albanese told a news conference that the decision reflected intelligence about the current climate of extremism in Australia, rather than any specific known threat. He also added:
“I want to reassure Australians probable does not mean inevitable, and it does not mean there is intelligence about an imminent threat or danger.”
Mr. Burgess warned that Australia’s security environment had become more volatile as “more Australians are becoming radicalised and radicalised at a faster rate … (and) embrace a wider variety of extremist ideologies.”
Australia downgraded its threat level to “possible” in 2022, after eight years at the “probable” level.
There have been several violent attacks in Australia in recent months, some of which have been labelled extremist.
In April, Australian police said a knife attack on an Assyrian bishop and several of his followers in Sydney was an act of terrorism motivated by suspicions of religious extremism.
