Why Australia’s latest terror threat is so different to the previous ones and has ASIO boss Mike Burgess worried

Australia’s spy boss has raised concerns about the number of young people being recruited by extremists and the rapid rate at which residents are being radicalised.

ASIO chief Mike Burgess said it had become a concern for his department after the country’s terrorism threat level was raised from possible to probable on Monday.

It marked the first time the level had been lifted since the height of threats that were being made by the Islamic State in 2014. 

Security officials have investigated eight incidents for possible terrorist links in Australia over the last four months.

Mr Burgess has warned there is a 50 per cent chance of an attack on Australian soil in the next year.

The director-general said the environment today was ‘completely different’ than when the threat level was raised a decade ago.

‘More people are being radicalized more quickly, and more people think violence is permissible from a range of grievances and ideologies, not just what we saw in 2014,’ he told ABC’s 7.30 program on Monday night.

He added that out of the eight incidents of possible terrorism, five of those involved people aged between 14 and 21, and more than half were religiously motivated.

The biggest concern was that only two of the incidents involved people known to ASIO or police.

‘The others across the eight include an equal mix of religiously motivated, nationalist, racist, and, in one case, a mixed ideology that goes to the left and right,’ Mr Burgess said.

‘All but two were unknown to us and police.

‘This is the new thing: people will go to violence with no warning and will not be known to us, with little or no planning in some of these cases.’

While the conflict in the Middle East is understood to have exacerbated concerns by security agencies about politically motivated violence in Australia, it is not the direct cause of the threat level rising.

Mr Burgess said youths were ‘particularly vulnerable’ through social media, which can exacerbate a person feeling isolated.

‘The internet is a great thing, but it allows individuals to latch onto something and get there in a matter of days, not months or years,’ he said.

‘That’s particularly concerning.’

The ASIO chief said it was important parents knew what their children were up to when it came to their online activity.

He said during Covid lockdowns, half of his priority counter-terrorism case loads were regarding minors.

‘Locked in their bedrooms on their devices, they could fall down a rabbit hole of hate quickly, not moderated by the schoolyard or community groups or the positive benefits of family outings,’ he said.

‘Covid is, of course, no longer with us, but it is still an issue. It is a concern how social media can grab people quickly. The internet can grab people quickly and hurt young brains which are not fully formed.’

Mr Burgess said among the groups considered threats are neo-Nazis.

Within those neo-Nazis are ‘accelerationists’ who Mr Burgess described as those who believe in white supremacy and ‘don’t like how the world is run today’. 

The threat level was raised from possible to probable on Monday – marking the first time it has been lifted since the height of threats made by the Islamic State in 2014 (stock image)

‘They want a downfall to return things to what they believe is the rightful order,’ he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the national security committee met on Monday morning to discuss the change in the level of threat.

‘Probable does not mean inevitable and it does not mean there is intelligence about an imminent threat or danger,’ Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra.

‘But the advice that we’ve received is that more Australians are embracing a more diverse range of extreme ideologies.’

The PM said that it was ‘our responsibility to be vigilant’ but sought to reassure Australians by reiterating that the same threat level was in place for over eight years before it was lowered in November, 2022.

Mr Burgess earlier said politically motivated violence now joins espionage and foreign interference as the principal security concerns.

He added anti-authority beliefs were also growing along with a decline in trust in democratic institutions.

‘This trend increased during Covid, gained further momentum after the terrorist attacks in Israel and accelerated during Israel’s military response,’ he said.

‘The (Middle East) conflict has fuelled grievances, promoted protest, exacerbated division, undermined social cohesion and elevated intolerance.’

Lone actors were also the most likely style of terror attack, often using rudimentary weapons in a crowded or public place.