Australia Spy Chief Warns on Rising Role of Minors in Terror
Live Mint-- Australia’s spy chief Mike Burgess has revealed that almost all foiled terrorist attacks over the past year involved the radicalization of children, while adding that the range of threats to national security is increasing exponentially. In his annual assessment delivered in Canberra on Wednesday evening, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general said the threat of terrorism and politically-motivated violence is rising, with individuals “self-radicalizing” through complicated and contradictory systems of belief. “The median age at which minors are first subject to ASIO investigation is now 15.” Asked about the responsibility of social media companies to prevent disinformation and radicalization, Burgess said that the tech giants needed to “step up to the plate” on regulating online spaces. Australia raised its terrorism alert level to “probable” in 2024 in the wake of growing social unrest caused by the conflict in Gaza and a surge in online disinformation. The spy chief said the Aukus submarine program was a growing target of foreign intelligence, while adding that ASIO had foiled an attempt by a “hostile foreign intelligence service” to harm human rights activists on Australian soil.
History of this topic
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