World’s top counter-terror experts gather in Melbourne for police forum

Counter-terror experts from around the world will gather in Melbourne today to compare tactics and discuss how to respond to the growing threat from violent extremism.

Victoria Police’s deputy commissioner of specialist operations Wendy Steendam will be involved in the three-day forum bringing together international expertise. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Counter-terror experts from around the world will gather in Melbourne on Monday to discuss how to respond to the growing threat from violent extremism.

Officials from the Metropolitan Police in London will attend the three-day forum, along with police from Victoria, NSW and Queensland, Canada and the US.

It comes after a month in which a terror attack was carried out in Bourke St and another plot was foiled by Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police and ASIO in Melbourne.

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On November 9, Hassan Khalif Shire Ali set fire to a vehicle before stabbing Melbourne restaurant icon Sisto Malaspina to death and injuring two other men.

And on November 20 Hanifi Halis, 21, Ertunc Eriklioglu, 30, and Samed Eriklioglu, 26, were arrested after counter terrorism detectives uncovered a plot to buy a black market semiautomatic gun, allegedly the first step in a plan to carry out a mass shooting in Melbourne.

Police at the scene on Bourke Street after November’s terror attack. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Officials from law enforcement in Canada and the US will also attend this week’s forum, the theme of which is ‘Solving the CT Puzzle — Informed, Innovative and Responsive’.

Wendy Steendam, Victoria Police’s deputy commissioner of specialist operations, said terrorism prevention required new ways of thinking.

“In an evolving, dynamic and very complex environment the opportunity to be able to bring specialists together is invaluable,” Ms Steendam said.

“The recent counter terrorism arrests and events seen in Melbourne highlight the continual need for focus in this area.

“Sharing knowledge and experiences from around the world will go a long way to shape and lead innovation.

“As a collective we strive to look for the gaps and what pieces we may be missing to counter terrorism at its core.

“We will reassess existing trends, look at what is happening now, what happened in the past and look to the future in order to inform our understanding of local, national and global threats.”

This is the second time the conference has been held in Melbourne.

A victim from the 2014 Lindt cafe siege will also attend the forum, as well as a representative from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, the Australian ambassador for cyber affairs and other emergency management, security and safety executives.

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“The threat of terrorism and violent extremists has no bounds and that is how we have to police this ever emerging and complex issue,” Ms Steendam said.

“The forum removes our physical state, territory and international borders, which I have no doubt will help create new and strengthen existing relationships in our united fight against terror.”

The Victoria Police Counter Terrorism Command was established in May 2015.