Terrorist attack threat remains: Australian spy agency

as posted here

Australia's security intelligence organisation, ASIO says a terrorist attack in Australia remains a possibility.

In its annual report, ASIO says its identified new extremists and terrorism related activity.

The most serious threat is the alleged planning by a Melbourne based group of Islamic extremists for a suicide assault on a military base. 

The spy agency says attacks in Islamabad, Mumbai and Lahore in the previous financial year reinforced its view that terrorism continues to be a persistent threat. 

ASIO says it rejected visas for two people considered security concerns either because of links to terrorist organisations or foreign governments. 

The organisation says small numbers of Australians continue to look to overseas conflicts for inspiration and some aspire to go to join in or learn from the tactics employed there. 

But it says communal violence within Australia is overall a low level concern and most protest activity was peaceful.

Espionage activities

When it comes to other nations spying on Australia, ASIO says traditional espionage techniques have been supplanted by new high tech methods. 

The agency says it has found evidence of hostile intelligence services using the internet to appropriate confidential government and business information.

as posted here