TERRORISMWorrying Trends Highlight Need for Vigilance Against Homegrown Terrorism
Despite intense efforts to counter violent extremism over the past two decades, the threat of domestic terrorism still endangers Australians. The focus has shifted from primarily transnational jihadists to violent homegrown ideologues with a range of motivations. As violent extremism evolves, Australia must adapt its strategy to confront this persistent challenge and protect social cohesion and national security.
Despite intense efforts to counter violent extremism over the past two decades, the threat of domestic terrorism still endangers Australians. Australia’s national terrorism threat level is set at ‘possible’, and the focus has shifted from primarily transnational jihadists to violent homegrown ideologues with a range of motivations. As violent extremism evolves, Australia must adapt its strategy to confront this persistent challenge and protect social cohesion and national security.
Australia is a diverse society with over 100 distinct religions, 300 languages and a substantial recent migrant population. It also has one of the world’s highest rates of internet usage, with 84% of its population online and 62% actively engaged in social media. Online platforms often host misinformation, including extremist propaganda that deepens social divides. Meanwhile, factors like counterterrorism policies, community engagement and international cooperation aim to mitigate violent extremism.
However, this landscape is complicated by variables beyond Australia’s control, such as global crises like the Covid-19 pandemic and world events like the Israel–Hamas conflict. The interactions of these variables impact the frequency of domestic terrorist attacks, casualty tolls, arrest rates and the radicalization of youth in Australia.
Victoria Police officially recognized 11 terrorist attacks across Australia between 2005 and 2021, but the Global Terrorism Database acknowledged an additional 39 attacks for a combined total of 50. Most of these incidents targeted private properties and religious institutions, resulting in 14 fatalities and 33 reported injuries. The frequency of attacks surged between 2014 and 2016 before subsiding in 2019, but there has been a renewed increase in terrorist incidents since 2021.
Between 2014 and 2019, 257 Australians faced charges related to terrorism offences. Victoria Police reported that between 2005 and 2022, 53 individuals were arrested in the state for terrorism offences. Around 8o% of them were aged between 15 and 30, and all but two were male.
Similarly, data from New South Wales Police from 2002 to 2020 shows that 48 individuals were arrested for terrorism offences in the state, 73% of whom were aged 10 to 30. Again, all but two were male. In both states, most arrests occurred between 2014 and 2019.
Between 2014 and 2018, approximately 10% of domestic terrorism convictions in Australia were of minors, and in 2021, the Australian Security Intelligence Organization reported a surge in terrorism investigations involving minors—from 2% to 15%—and they now make up half of ASIO’s highest-priority cases.
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