Stereotyping Muslim community no help to Australia’s security, spy chief warns

AUSTRALIA’S spy chief has warned that stereotyping the Muslim community is not helpful to national security.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation head Duncan Lewis speaks during an Senate estimates hearing. Picture: AAP/Lukas Coch

AUSTRALIA’S spy chief has warned that stereotyping the Muslim community is not helpful to national security.

Duncan Lewis, the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, said his agents were interested in only behaviour, not racial or religious background.

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Australian Security Intelligence Organisation head Duncan Lewis (right) talks at the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee as Attorney-General George Brandis looks on. Picture Gary Ramage

He defended the Muslim community while updating politicians on Australia’s terror threat in a Senate committee hearing on Tuesday.

“There are more than half a million Australian Muslims. Of these ... less than point one of one per cent, so one-tenth of one per cent, are the subject of security interest,” he told the committee. “Traits such as ethnicity do not necessarily help us to identify the individuals who are of concern.”

He said the threat from the Islamic State terror group continued but the group had faced significant physical losses in conflicts in Mosul, Raqqa and Marawi.

“These losses do not eliminate the threat IS poses to Australia and Australian interests globally,” he said.

“ISIL propaganda remains a powerful force for radicalisation and incitement and the threat from ISIL-inspired lone actors and local groups will endure.”

He warned Australia’s security environment is being affected by threats from IS, despite territorial losses tin the Middle East and in the Philippines.

He said IS and al-Qaeda continued to encourage low technology attacks.

Mr Lewis again warned of IS’s influence in southeast Asia.

“We are concerned at the capacity of ISIL’s ideology to unite disparate groups,” he said.

The rise of the group’s influence in the region has led to the creation of ‘Islamic State of East Asia’.

This group was recently categorised as a terrorist organisation by the federal government.

Since May, four Australians have been killed in terrorist attacks overseas — one in Iraq, two in the London Bridge attack and one in Barcelona.

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