From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to high

[Steelo]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

...

I am amazed by the sheer arrogance of those who know more than ASIO. It was raised on the advice of ASIO.

 

[medhead]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

I am amazed by the sheer arrogance of those who know more than ASIO. It was raised on the advice of ASIO.

Sheer arrogance? What about the sheer arrogance of thinking people can't follow news and current affairs and critically analyse it. I was more than capable of realising there were no weapons of mass destruction. (Asio's track record is poor) I predicted the mess that Iraqi would become before they invaded. I certainly don't accept you calling me arrogant. Perhaps you might do well actually asking questions instead of blindly lapping it all up.

Ask a few questions. How long has this Syria thing been going on? How long have they been stopping Australians from travelling to Syria? Much longer than the last week or two. Yet suddenly they raise the terror threat now? What about the retirement of the head this week? So he can say anything, such as something that the government might like to hear, like happened previously, that distracts from a negative issue for the government. What sort of plumb post might be in the offing?

Yep I can't belief the sheer arrogance of people who attack those who rightly ask questions, which are justified on the track record. You might be a follower but that doesn't give you the right to call me arrogant.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

I wonder if sports bet will start offering odds for when the threat level will go down a notch.

My money is on it will never go back down. It's purely an cough covering mechanism. What Govt minister or head of a security service is going to put his nads on the chopping block and risk a downgrade to then have something occur?

As Yazz used to sing - "The only way is UP"

 

[medhead]

From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to...

And that's before I even get into what the terror rating means in a practical sense. Were our law enforcement agencies doing nothing until now? Are they going to change what they are doing because of this? Besides scaring the population what does this actually change about detection and enforcement. They should be putting in best efforts all the time.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

[redacted - off-topic]

And that's before I even get into what the terror rating means in a practical sense. Where our law enforcement agencies doing nothing until now? Are they going to change what they are doing because of this? Besides scaring the population what does this actually change about detection and enforcement. They should be putting in best efforts all the time.

And that's exactly the point. The 'raising' of the terror status I don't think has been adequately explained. What does it mean? What is the threat? If you are going to announce it and make it public... shouldn't you be telling us what to look for? In the UK the advice was clear... report unattended bags for example. Report suspicious behaviour.

Is the threat here from returning militants? If it is, that is a border protection issue, handled by immigration officials at the airport. What can I do about that? Or is the threat out and about in the public?

Without any seemingly concrete advice to follow up this 'raised' level or terror (or alarm) - the discussion of political benefit is a potentially valid one. We have had a quantum shift from the budget to Iraq/Syria and now the domestic terror threat. We are all told we are now either 'in' or 'out' of being team Aussie. That starts to sound a little political.

 

[Steelo]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

You don't know where people work on this bulletin board, or what experience they have.

Even as a member of the general public, we are free to analyse the actions of our government.

While I don't know where people work, I would be horrified and amazed if anyone working in government or intelligence were sharing their opinion on this blog.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

While I don't know where people work, I would be horrified and amazed if anyone working in government or intelligence were sharing their opinion on this blog.

There is a tendency to want to 'dumb down' the population and restrict comment on the grounds that people aren't the CEO of an airline or the head of ASIO (etc etc). If we extend that so we can't comment on doctors (unless you are a doctor), or lawyers or politicians, we would be living in the very society we are fighting to protect against.

 

[medhead]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

And that's exactly the point. The 'raising' of the terror status I don't think has been adequately explained. What does it mean? What is the threat? If you are going to announce it and make it public... shouldn't you be telling us what to look for? In the UK the advice was clear... report unattended bags for example. Report suspicious behaviour.

Is the threat here from returning militants? If it is, that is a border protection issue, handled by immigration officials at the airport. What can I do about that? Or is the threat out and about in the public?

Without any seemingly concrete advice to follow up this 'raised' level or terror (or alarm) - the discussion of political benefit is a potentially valid one. We have had a quantum shift from the budget to Iraq/Syria and now the domestic terror threat. We are all told we are now either 'in' or 'out' of being team Aussie. That starts to sound a little political.

Well that's the thing, I guess. Hypothetically, if I was responsible for certain items, the standard tells me I need to do something about this new threat level. But if I have followed the standard I'm not sure what else I would have to do. Hold a meeting, maybe? Like I need another meeting.

 

[Pushka]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

Agree that the average person will be saying "so what are we supposed to do about it". Nothing really, other than deal politely with all the extra security measures that will now be in place. No different than travelling to Bali really. I think everyone pretty much expected that there will be ugly terrorist issues in Australia prior to the announcement and I'd also suggest there isn't much we can do to stop them. But we have to look like we can.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

This not what I was saying. What I am objecting to is the lazy and absurd rhetoric that is appearing on this thread claiming that the reasons for a high security alert is because the Government wants to distract from its budget or some other equally absurd conspiracy theory. If I wanted to read this rubbish I'd go to the ABC website or some other site that is a haven for such lazy rhetoric.

Ummm - we don't actually know!! It may not be lazy or absurd. In fact the evidence at the moment suggests it could be either way.

 

[amaroo]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

We warn our citizens when they travel abroad Travel Advisories Index - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

If the security agencies have fears for mainland Australia - why wouldn't we issue the same warnings to the same citizens

 

[get me outta here]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

My definition of lazy thinking is only reading one side of an argument, the side that supports me and thinking that others don't agree w' me, ergo they are lazy thinkers.

Of course, Murdoch did try to unsuccessfully try to hide the abysmal figures of his own print business. But, perhaps that's no factual as he didn't report it.....

 

[Steelo]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

We warn our citizens when they travel abroad Travel Advisories Index - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

If the security agencies have fears for mainland Australia - why wouldn't we issue the same warnings to the same citizens

Agree,could you imagine the outcry that would occur if an incident did happen and "the Government" had not issued a warning. I'd be more interested in hearing about the practicalities involved in increasing security, especially as these threats come from disturbed individuals who could be acting as a lone wolf.

 

[medhead]

From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to...

We warn our citizens when they travel abroad Travel Advisories Index - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

If the security agencies have fears for mainland Australia - why wouldn't we issue the same warnings to the same citizens

Yes, we warn travellers based on specific threats.

 

[MelUser]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to hig

Be very afraid. The more scared you are, the more likely the government of the day will be relected. Who can forget the Howard fridge magnet paper things - there was a 1800 number to call if the neighbours were up to strange things in the middle of the night!

 

[amaroo]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to...

Yes, we warn travellers based on specific threats.

Frequently asked questions | Australian National Security

If you want to know more - I suppose you could join one of the agencies charged with protecting Australians.

 

[medhead]

From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to...

Frequently asked questions | Australian National Security

If you want to know more - I suppose you could join one of the agencies charged with protecting Australians.

Versus the quote earlier on in thread that there was no specific threat that caused the level to be raised. I suggest that direct quotes on the current situation trump some random FAQ.

As for joining those people, I've had enough experience with them telling me I have to spend vast sums of money because they said so, while refusing to detail the specific threat.

But then this is a prime example where you are unaware of what I do and what I have done.

 

[amaroo]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to...

hmmm.....

https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/a/24990373/police-ramp-up-search-for-stolen-rocket-launchers-in-sydney-as-homegrown-terror-risk-grows/

Police 'ramp up search for stolen rocket launchers' in Sydney as homegrown terror risk grows

members of the Pendennis Nine terror cell — who planned to attack high-profile Sydney targets and are serving long jail terms — have refused to tell police where the rocket launchers are hidden.

A NSW Police spokesman said officers were “actively” searching for the five rocket launchers, which were among 10 stolen by former Army *captain Shane Della-Vedova from a military facility in Orchard Hills in 2002

 

[medhead]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to...

hmmm.....

https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/a/24990373/police-ramp-up-search-for-stolen-rocket-launchers-in-sydney-as-homegrown-terror-risk-grows/

Police 'ramp up search for stolen rocket launchers' in Sydney as homegrown terror risk grows

2002. Oh they're onto that quickly

 

[amaroo]

Re: From 'alert' to 'alarmed': terror threat level has been raised from medium to...

2002. Oh they're onto that quickly

Indeed. Maybe the last Gov should have raised the alert level years ago