Melbourne terror risk heightened over Christmas holiday period, police say

THIS year’s holiday season is once again a period where the risk of terrorism is heightened, the first day of a three-day International Counter Terrorism forum in Melbourne has heard.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Shane Patton says the festive season now comes with heightened terror risk. Picture: AAP Image/Joe Castro

AT least 220 Australian passports have been cancelled or refused in the past five years, the first day of a three-day International Counter Terrorism forum in Melbourne has heard.

Authorities also warned this time of year was a period when the risk of terrorism was heightened.

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The forum, which is being held in Melbourne for the first time, heard that since 2014, 35 counter-terrorism operations nationally had led to charges against 80 people.

Forty-two of them, including five juveniles, were still before the courts.

Speaking today, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said there had been five terror attacks in Australia since the international terrorism threat level was raised to “probable” in September 2014.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Shane Patton says the festive season now comes with heightened terror risk. Picture: AAP Image/Joe Castro

“One of these attacks was an incident here in Victoria where two police officers were injured,” he said.

“I want to commend those officers, where the offender, fortunately, was killed.”

Among those Australians who travelled to the Middle East to join groups involved in conflicts in Iraq and Syria, 40 have returned to Australia.

Mr Dutton said as Islamic State “crumbles” in the Middle East, the terrorist organisation had become more reliant on online recruitment.

“Their twisted and evil ideologies means individuals are using the internet to disseminate propaganda and radicalise young people in Western nations,” he said.

“The unfortunate reality is that there has been a significant and continuing deterioration of the threat environment.”

And the use of encrypted mobile applications was making the job of thwarting terrorist plots more difficult.

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Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Shane Patton said this time of year was a “heightened risk period for terrorism” — not just in Victoria, but across the globe.

“We have seen during the Christmas and festive period, over last year and this year, a heightened risk period for terrorism,” he said.

“We are ensuring we do have a proper security overlay at all events and we are properly prepared for this time of the year,” Mr Patton said.

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