Australia raises terror threat level from ‘possible’ to ‘probable’ but says there is no specific threat

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s government on Monday raised the country’s terrorism threat level from “possible” to “probable,” citing concerns about growing radicalization among young people and social tensions over Israel’s war with Hamas.

For the first time since November 2022, the threat level has been raised to the midpoint of the five-level National Terrorism Threat Advisory System. For the previous eight years, the level had been “likely.”

However, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added that while government officials believe the current situation increases the threat of terrorism, they are not aware of any specific threats.

“I want to assure Australians that likely does not mean imminent and does not mean there is intelligence of an imminent threat or danger,” Albanese told reporters.

He said the government was acting on advice from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the country’s main intelligence agency, known as ASIO.

“We have received feedback that more and more Australians are embracing more diverse, extreme ideologies and it is our responsibility to remain vigilant,” Albanese said.

“We have seen a global increase in politically motivated violence and extremism. Many democracies are working to address this, including our friends in the United States and the United Kingdom. There are many factors driving this global trend towards violence. Governments around the world are concerned about youth radicalization, online radicalization, and the rise of new hybrid ideologies.”

Australian authorities last declared an act of terrorism in April, when a 16-year-old boy was charged with stabbing a Sydney bishop during a live broadcast of a church service.

ASIO Director General Mike Burgess said more and more Australians were being radicalised at an accelerating rate.

“More and more Australians are embracing a more diverse range of extreme ideologies and more and more Australians are prepared to use violence to advance their cause,” Burgess said.

“Politically motivated violence now joins espionage and foreign interference as our primary security concerns. These factors make ASIO’s work more difficult. Threats are becoming increasingly difficult to predict and identify,” he added.