Australia upgraded its terror threat level from “possible” to “probable” on Monday, August 5, citing a rise in extremist sentiment in the nation that increases the likelihood of an onshore assault being planned within the next year by more than 50%.
Although there was no immediate threat of an attack, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced he had increased the nation’s threat level in response to information from security services.
“The advice that we have received is that more Australians are embracing a more diverse range of extreme ideologies and it is our responsibility to be vigilant,” he stated during a news conference.
Australia downgraded the threat level from “probable” to “possible” in 2022 after eight years at that level.
According to Mike Burgess, director general of Australia’s primary intelligence agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, tensions in the Middle East, particularly the ongoing battle between Israel and Hamas that started on October 7, have contributed to an increase in the threat level.
“The conflict has fuelled grievances, promoted protests, undermined social cohesion and elevated intolerance,” he stated.
In recent months, there have been a number of violent acts in Australia, some of which have been attributed to extremist motivations.
A knife attack on an Assyrian church bishop and a few of his supporters in Sydney in April was described by Australian authorities as a terrorist crime driven by a suspicion of religious fanaticism.
