New National Security Teams to Target People Damaging Social Cohesion

New National Security Investigations (NSI) teams have been rolled out in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra to target “groups and individuals causing high levels of harm to Australia’s social cohesion,” the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has revealed.

Their focus will include activists who target federal parliamentarians with threats or acts of violence or vandalism.

They began operations in September and are part of the AFP’s well-established Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Command.

Their role goes beyond investigation and enforcement to include national coordination, policy development, and legislation.

“The NSI teams will work with state and territory police to provide a nationally coordinated, consistent and intelligence-led response to security threats, and ensure all law enforcement and national security partners have the information needed to deliver the most effective and disruptive policing response,” the AFP said in a statement.

Many factions whose aims or actions damage social cohesion are dispersed across Australia and, in some cases, are connected to international groups of concern.

Therefore, the AFP says it will “attack these groups on a global level” through cooperation among the international law enforcement intelligence community to “gain insights which can inform responses to criminal activities impacting our communities.” That will include the Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group.

Online Surveillance

Because so much planning and radicalisation of individuals takes place online, the AFP says it will “work with trusted partners to innovate and adopt new technologies to detect violent extremist material and decode criminal language used in attempts to avoid detection.”

That will include leveraging its electronic surveillance powers to collect intelligence on criminal networks operating online.

Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the AFP had a responsibility to investigate Commonwealth crimes that have national security consequences and foster an environment for violent extremism or terrorism.

She added that while “many of these crimes may not meet the threshold of terrorism, the AFP has identified concerning behaviours which could escalate to politically-motivated violence or hate crimes, which seriously put the Australian community at risk.”

“There are current and emerging groups who are eroding our country’s social fabric by advocating hatred, fear, and humiliation, and the AFP is putting them on notice,” she said.

Some of the groups in question have already damaged property and targeted businesses based on race or religion.

“By collaborating with ASIO and our state and territory police partners, our coordinated disruption activities will be informed by intelligence and targeted at those inciting or preparing to commit violent acts,” Barrett said.

“There is no place for hate or violence in our communities, and the AFP will defend and protect Australia and Australia’s future from these threats.”