In an address to the conservative Sydney Institute on Wednesday, ASIO chief David Irvine said the recent assassinations of al-Qaeda leaders Osama Bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki did not mean the threat from Islamic extremism is over, adding that the picture of the Sydney Opera House in a jihadist publication last year is a reminder to Australia.
Mr Irvine pointed to past conspiracies amongst extremist groups as part of a "worrying trend" of "homegrown terrorism".
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"We actually have to work closely with the communities from which terrorists may emerge. This isn't always easy, given that many of these communities come from countries where there has been a very good reason indeed to be deeply suspicious and afraid of the security services," Mr Irvine said.
Mr Irvine put the call out to ethnic minorities.
"I'm convinced that ASIO still needs to recruit more people from our newly arrived migrant communities. And connected with this is the need for ASIO to continue to improve its outreach into our different ethnic communities, particularly Australian Muslim communities. I believe we can do better to convince the communities that ASIO is not a threat to their cohesion or to their integration into Australian life, but it exists to protect them and to promote harmonious, inter-communal relations."
He said it is not always an easy job due to sometimes needing to use "intrusive, investigative methods" but assured Australia's "valued" Islamic community that ASIO is not against Islam, but "terrorism that kills both Muslims and non-Muslims alike."
"Australians as a whole need to understand that it is both grossly unfair and counterproductive to community harmony, constantly to blame this or that ethic or religious group... for the terrorist or criminal activities of a tiny, tiny number of misfits or malcontents,"
An increasing number of Australians are now willing to travel overseas to train, he said, although he conceded that the recent mass shooting in Norway shows that extremists can be from any group.
Mr Irvine said there has been no terrorist incident on our soils for many years but Australians should not think that "terrorism is something that just happens in other countries."
"Terrorism, espionage and foreign interference, including by cyber means, present first-order threats to the security of the country."
But it was the nature of the threat from Islamic extremism in particular that meant increased cooperation with the Muslim community was needed.
Outside, activists from the Refugee Action Coalition gathered to protest against ASIO's treatment of refugees.
"There are currently hundreds of people found to be refugees by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship languishing in detention for up to two years because they are still waiting for the outcome of their ASIO `security assessments'," activist Mark
Goudkamp said.
ASIO's overall budget increased from $427m in 2009–10 to a total of some $717m in 2010/11.
What do you think? How can ASIO increase cooperation with ethnic and religious minorities, including Muslims? What can it do to boost recruitment of these Australians?
