67 potential ‘lone actor’ terrorists identified as extremists team up with crime gangs, bikies
AUSTRALIA has 67 potential “lone actor” terrorists who have formed unholy alliances with organised crime syndicates — including outlaw bikies — to pursue their evil agendas.
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AUTHORITIES have identified 67 potential “lone actor” terrorists in Australia, 62 of whom were not known before but include returning foreign fighters forming unholy alliances with organised crime syndicates — including outlaw bikies — to possibly fund their plots.
And it’s not just the remnants of Islamic State (ISIS) that are the threat, but individuals with extreme left and right wing ideologies that agencies believe may be considering acts of terrorism.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) boss Mike Phelan said the links between terrorism and crime were now at “unprecedented” levels, as was the identifying of previously not identified lone actor threats to the nation.
In his evaluation of the past 12 months and future ACIC target directions tabled in federal Parliament, Mr Phelan expressed dismay at the speed and diversification of criminality by crime groups. He noted some that were confined to trafficking drugs were now moving into cybercrime, and their moves to forge links with known extremists.
“This includes Australians who finance terrorist activities, leave Australia to support terrorist causes or return intending to harm the Australian community, it also includes Australians recruited by organised crime groups who are seeking the skills developed in foreign conflicts,” he said.
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He said during the past 12 months under the covert Project Ridgeline and Project Pinecrest, 67 persons of interest were identified “as displaying risk indicators associated with lone actors”.
“Sixty-two of these individuals had not been previously identified and were referred to both the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Federal Police for further investigation,” the national criminal intelligence gathering group’s chief executive officer said.
“We also discovered links between serious and organised crime and counter terrorism persons of interest, particularly related to returning foreign fighters engaging in serious and organised crime activities including money laundering.”
On the latter, it is understood ACIC found several Australian-based criminal cartels previously not known to law enforcement potentially laundering significant funds as effectively as legitimate financial service providers.
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ACIC confirmed long held suspicions that Bitcoin was being used as an alternative to traditional money laundering methods and risks of its use directed toward terror funding.
Mr Phelan observed law enforcement was stretched “by capability and capacity” by the level of transnational crime, done significantly by OMCGs with drugs, money laundering and using violence, intimidation and technology.
“Globalisation has provided opportunities for Australian criminals to make transnational connections and for offshore groups that previously had little access to the Australian market to also target us,” he concluded.
“Over the past few years the speed with which global trends have been replicated in Australia has increased and physical and geographic boundaries no longer contain criminal networks. The impact on the Australian community is pervasive and destructive.”
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ASIO meanwhile has warned lone actor attacks were not isolated to Islamic extremists.
“Individuals motivated by other ideologies such as extreme left or right wing ideology may consider conducting an act of terrorism,” it stated in its annual review tabled in parliament.
“Any terrorist attack in Australia over the next 12 months would probably involve weapons and tactics that are low cost and relatively simple including basic weapons, explosives and or firearms.”
Australia’s national terror threat level remains at “probable”.
Originally published as 67 potential ‘lone actor’ terrorists identified as extremists team up with crime gangs, bikies