Security red flag for more than 500 Iraqi and Syrian refugees bound for Australia

MORE than 500 Australia-bound refugees have been refused entry in the last year for being on a global security watchlist.

MORE than 500 Iraqi and Syrian refugees bound for Australia under the government’s humanitarian program in the past year have been refused entry for being on an international security watchlist.

The Australian reports at least 30 of those refugees had also turned up on ASIO’s ­national security terrorism watchlist.

A senior intelligence source told The Australian’s Simon Benson the majority of those identified as security risks came from priority family groups seeking refuge in Australia, rather than individual single males.

About 17,000 biometric scans had been conducted on Iraqi and Syrian refugees wanting to enter Australia since October 2015. Picture: Supplied

About 17,000 biometric scans had been conducted on Iraqi and Syrian refugees wanting to enter Australia since October 2015. Most of the 500 considered a risk were found on a general security watchlist of a Five Eyes member country that included “criminal and other” activities.

The Five Eyes intelligence network is a security arrangement between Australia, the US, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.

The source said the risk to national security if any of the 500 rejected refugees entered Australia would be very high.

“All matches identified were rigorously examined and where potential risks were identified these individuals were not granted a visa to Australia,” the source said.

“Of the biometric checks ­approximately 500 were a preliminary adverse match, that is the person’s name was recorded on a watch list ... of those, 30 applicants had a potential adverse ­national security biometric match when checked with international partners. None of these applicants with identified national security matters were granted visas. A number of individuals received an adverse security assessment (from ASIO) and none of these people travelled to Australia.”

The security risks were detected under a biometric security vetting system introduced by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton in September 2015.

Mr Dutton’s office confirmed that there had been ­“adverse findings” but would not be drawn on the details.

It comes as immigration department chief Michael Pezzullo confirmed Australia is not negotiating with any other countries to find refugee resettlement places for people on Nauru and Manus Island who miss out on going to the US.

Read more at The Australian.