Secret proposal: Army may fight terror on home soil

ARMY special forces may get the nod to storm terrorist hostage situations like the deadly Lindt cafe siege on home soil in future.

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ARMY special forces may get the nod to storm terrorist hostage situations like the deadly Lindt cafe siege on home soil in future.

The proposal is part of a Defence department secret review of military call out powers, The Australian reports.

It comes two years after the 17 hour deadly Lindt Cafe siege in Sydney, which ended with the deaths of hostages Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson as well as gunman Man Haron Monis.

Members of the Tactical Assault Group (TAG) at counter-terrorism training on Garden Island.

The siege inquest has raised serious questions about the ability of local police to handle major terrorist attacks with the The Australian revealing moves are afoot to fast-track the procedures via which the army can be used to fight ­terrorists.

The Australian understands the Defence Department has ­initiated a nationwide review of the call-out powers, widely considered archaic and ill-suited to the fast-moving pace of modern terrorism.

The review is part of a more ­aggressive approach to counter-terrorism strategy, spurred by the Lindt cafe siege as well as last year’s shooting attacks in Paris and Brussels, which were carried out by Islamic State terrorists ­intent on killing as many people as quickly as possible.

The siege inquest has raised questions about the ability of local police to handle major terrorist attacks.

During the Lindt cafe siege, army special forces teams based at Sydney’s southwestern Holsworthy Army Base were placed on high alert but were not called in.

The NSW Police Association today launched a blistering attack on the Lindt siege inquest, claiming it was a “show trial” that destroyed the reputations of police officers.

The Tactical Assault Group East based at Holsworthy Army Base.

“This has not been a calm and rational inquiry into the tragic deaths of two young Australians,’’ acting association president Tony King said. “The past few months have descended into a show trial attacking the character and performance of all police involved.’’

Despite the inquest throwing light on a remarkable catalogue of errors in the way police handled the siege, Mr King believes it unfairly tarnished the reputation of the entire police force.