Spy chief warns Australia facing greater security challenges

The head of Australia’s domestic intelligence agency ASIO has warned that the country will face more threats than espionage, foreign intervention and potentially sabotage over the next five years.

In assessing his annual danger, ASIO Director General Mike Burges warned that many countries were “constantly seeking information” about Australia’s military capabilities.

“Defense personnel are being targeted in individual and online. Some were recently gifted by international counterparts. The hidden monitoring equipment presented is included.”

Australia, America and Britain’s Aukas alliance, “will be a priority target for intelligence collection, the countries we consider to be favorable,” Burges said.

He warned that “small numbers of ruling rule” were behaving more aggressive, carelessly and dangerous.

“If there is a rule book in the spy game, it is being re -written. If there are red lines, they are being blurred – or are deliberately rubbed out.”

Burges said that at least three different countries had conspired to harm people living in Australia.

In one case, a foreign intelligence service wanted to cheat a human rights activist to visit a third country.

Burges said, “He planned to arrange a ‘accident’, whatever was there but with the aim of accidentally, seriously injured or even killing the worker,” Burges said.

“Fortunately, ASIO intervened to stop the journey and foil the plot before being.”

In 2023, Intelligence indicated that a separate hostile foreign intelligence wanted to harm the service and possibly wanted to kill one or more persons on the Australian soil, he said.

“It goes without saying that such plots are canceled. They not only include a plan to hurt people – obviously they are quite bad – they are attacking Australian sovereignty and freedom Which we are dear. “