Australia's intelligence chief on Sunday (11/8) accused several friendly countries of running foreign interference operations in the country, and said their identities would be shocking if revealed.
Canberra last year labelled Iran a foreign meddling state, adding that Australian intelligence had foiled “several individuals” conducting a surveillance operation on the home of an Iranian-Australian citizen.
However, other countries are also covertly trying to interfere in Australia's political system and its diaspora communities, said Mike Burgess, Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Australian Security Intelligence Organization/ASIO).
“I can name at least three or four (countries) that we found were actively involved in foreign interference in Australian diaspora communities,” Burgess said in an interview with the public broadcaster. ABC.
“Some of them will surprise you. Some of them are our friends,” he said. Burgess declined to identify the countries involved beyond confirming government allegations of Iranian involvement. Foreign interference, espionage and politically motivated violence were Australia's top security concerns, Burgess said.
“In the diaspora community, there are some countries that are trying to threaten and intimidate Australians living in this country,” he said. “When we find that, we deal with it effectively.”
In 2022, Burgess revealed that ASIO had foiled a foreign interference plot by a wealthy individual – referred to only as a “mastermind” – with deep connections to a foreign government.
The man had funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to an employee to try to influence an election, he said at the time, without specifying which votes were targeted. ASIO this month raised Australia's terrorism threat level to “probable”, saying the rise of extremist ideology at home had increased the likelihood of violence in the next 12 months.
Burgess said Sunday that the spread of misinformation on social media was complicating efforts to tackle the threat of politically motivated violence, with minors “locked up in their rooms with their devices” and increasingly exposed to violent extremism.
The spy chief said ASIO would be watching for such risks around Australia's next general election, widely expected to be held in 2025, as it would be a “major focus” of intense debate on social issues. (my/lt)
