Australia Spy Chief Warns of Iran Terror Threat

Australia's spy chief has warned of significant threats emanating from Iran, including an antisemitic firebomb attack in Sydney orchestrated by a senior member of Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

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This person is a senior agent of the IRGC Quds Force, running its networks around the world.

Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), revealed that an Australian citizen living in Iran, identified as a senior agent of the IRGC Quds Force, directed the 2024 firebombing of a Bondi restaurant. This incident marked the first major antisemitic attack of its kind in Australia. Burgess also expressed concern that an Iranian group operating in Europe could potentially carry out further attacks or assassinations on Australian soil.

Burgess detailed another incident where a former Australian resident in Iraq, working for Iran, directed a firebomb attack on a synagogue in Melbourne. Australia had previously expelled Iran's ambassador in response to this attack. He also noted the arrest of an Australian crime figure in January, recruited by Iran through Iraqi-based militia groups, who was protected and supported in his illegal enterprises by the IRGC.

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Iran recruited him through a complex web of Iraqi-based militia groups. Valuing his high wealth and criminal connections, the IRGC protected him and supported his illegal enterprises.

Beyond Iranian threats, Burgess highlighted other security concerns. State hackers have penetrated a critical infrastructure network, and a foreign nation has attempted to coerce eight individuals, including five Australians, into returning to their home countries to silence them. Furthermore, foreign spies are actively trying to recruit Australians to reveal official secrets related to the AUKUS security partnership with Britain and the United States.

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Iran continued to view Australia as a target, and could "conduct or inspire acts of arson, vandalism or even assassinations on Australian soil".

Addressing scrutiny over ASIO's resource allocation following a mass shooting, Burgess defended the agency's efforts against "concurrent, cascading, and compounding threats." He stated that the number of counter-terrorism officers has doubled since 2005 and that ASIO is employing new technologies like artificial intelligence. The agency has foiled 31 major terrorism plots since 2014, with cases becoming more complex due to online radicalization occurring rapidly and at younger ages.

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What's more important: the liberty and agency of an individual, countering antisemitism, the avai