Concerns over Taliban-inspired terror attacks in Australia

Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August there are growing fears al-Qaeda will regain its foothold and be able to orchestrate bigger attacks with larger numbers of casualties.

Police have stepped up their observation of Islamic extremists in Australia following the return to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The top counter terrorism police officer in Australia has warned it could lead to a resurgent al-Qaeda plotting sophisticated and large scale terror attacks on our streets.

Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee told the Sunday Herald Sun the risk for much of the past decade has come from small scale lone wolf terrorists inspired by Islamic State.

But since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August there are growing fears al-Qaeda will regain its foothold and be able to orchestrate bigger attacks with larger numbers of casualties.

It can also be revealed that the AFP’s High Risk Terrorist Offenders team in Melbourne are currently monitoring two convicted offenders – Paul Dacre and Adam Brookman.

Dacre was one of the “tinnie terrorists” who was jailed for plotting to sail to the Philippines to join an Islamic State faction in a bid to overthrow the government.

Paul Dacre — one of the so-called “tinnie terrorists” — is being monitored by the AFP.

Brookman, a Melbourne nurse jailed for aiding foreign fighters in Syria, was released from prison earlier this year.

“With Afghanistan, we are concerned about what the declining security situation there might mean in terms of the counter terrorism environment in Australia and our neighbouring region,” Assistant Commissioner Lee said.

“From our perspective that is the ability of terror organisations to take over ungoverned land in Afghanistan.

“Once they have re-established themselves this may provide the ability to direct, inspire and influence attacks onshore in Australia.

“Whether there is a return to larger scale, more sophisticated attacks, a key factor in my view will be if al-Qaeda is able to re-establish themselves back in the region.

“We have been monitoring our onshore cohort closely to see what the impact has been.”

Recent attacks in Australia – including the 2018 Bourke St attack – have been carried out by lone wolves with a low degree of sophistication and planning.

Terrorist Hassan Khalif Shire Ali was inspired by the Islamic State when he drove his Holden ute filled with gas bottles down Bourke St before setting it alight and launching a frenzied stabbing rampage on the afternoon of November 9, 2018.

Sisto Malaspina, owner of Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar, was on his lunchtime walk when Shire Ali fatally stabbed him in the chest before the terrorist was shot dead by police.

“It has evolved a lot over the last ten years,” Assistant Commissioner Lee said.

“Ten years ago it was primarily al-Qaeda or al-Qaeda affiliates.

“Back then a lot of the plots were more sophisticated, long-term, with a lot of individuals in groups.”

The AFP is working with agencies overseas to try and stop both al-Qaeda and ISIS-K gaining momentum.

ISIS-K – the Islamic State Khorasan Province – is the official affiliate of the Islamic State movement in Afghanistan.

“A priority for us is doing what we can do to ensure ISIS-K and al-Qaeda do not restructure themselves to have a significant impact on us domestically or in the region,” Assistant Commissioner Lee said.

“Our international command is a key part of the response, both in the Middle East and SE Asia. We have AFP liaison officers in locations such as Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines who work closely with partner agencies on counter-terrorism matters.

“We are working with like-minded partners to disrupt, where we can, the re-establishment of these groups in Afghanistan.”