Australias-Counter-Terrorism-Strategy-2015

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AUSTRALIA’SCOUNTER-TERRORISMSTRATEGYOur counter-terrorism efforts are focussed onprevention and are informed by diligentanalysis and assessment of violent extremismhere and abroad. Our emphasis is on reducingthe lure of violent extremist ideologies inAustralia, stopping Australians from choosingviolence to express their views, and disruptingterrorist activity.Despite our best efforts, there can be noguarantees that a terrorist attack will notoccur. Therefore, we are continuing to developour capabilities and resources to effectivelyrespond to, and recover from attacks.Australia’s national Counter-TerrorismStrategy is built on:• Challenging violent extremist ideologies• Stopping people from becoming terrorists• Shaping the global environment• Disrupting terrorist activity withinAustralia• Effective response and recovery6 | AUSTRALIA’S COUNTER-TERRORISM STRATEGY
1. CHALLENGINGVIOLENT EXTREMISTIDEOLOGIESConstraining the terrorist threat isfundamentally about limiting the spread andinfluence of violent extremist ideas.Violent extremist ideology promoted bygroups like ISIL and AQ is currently the keydriver of terrorist activity across the globe.While these groups claim to act in the nameof Islam, the vast majority of Muslims rejecttheir ideologies. Indeed it is Muslims whohave suffered the most at the hands ofterrorist groups.Governments across Australia are helpingcommunities and local organisations to sharetheir own messages countering violentextremist ideologies. Messages from withincommunities, particularly those from familyand friends, are more likely to influence thethinking and behaviour of those attracted toviolent extremist ideologies than messagesdelivered from outside.For example, islamate.org.au connects trustedIslamic scholars with young people acrossgeographic boundaries so they can provideadvice and guidance. Similarly the emagazine,The Point Magazine features the views ofyoung people and community and religiousleaders on a wide range of issues relating tothe negative impact of violent extremism onthe community.ISIL has been particularly successful inproducing messages that resonate with someindividuals across the globe. Their declarationof a caliphate in June 2014 is an example ofsuch messaging.To limit the effectiveness of violent extremists’propaganda, their false claims must beexposed. For example, in contrast to theirpropaganda, the reality of joining ISIL orsimilar groups is that individuals will besubjected to brutality and cruelty and maywell be killed.Countering violent extremist ideologies thatcontradict our core values is the responsibilityof governments and communities. We mustremain vigilant of all ideologies that promotethe use of unlawful violence to achieve itsgoals.What do we mean by ‘violent extremism’and ‘radicalisation’ in this Strategy?Violent extremism: a willingness to useunlawful violence, or support the use ofviolence by others, to promote a political,ideological or religious goal. Violentextremism includes terrorism, other forms ofpolitically motivated violence and some formsof communal violence (e.g. racially motivatedviolence).Radicalisation: the process by whichindividuals come to accept violent extremismas a legitimate means of pursuing theirpolitical, ideological or religious goals. Theradicalisation process is unique to eachindividual. However, it often includes acombination of exposure to violent extremistpropaganda and adverse social and economicfactors.The role of the internetThe online environment is easily accessiblebut difficult to monitor – terrorists takeadvantage of this. The internet enablesterrorists to spread propaganda, connect witheach other, groom and recruit people, andplan and execute terrorist attacks.7 | AUSTRALIA’S COUNTER-TERRORISM STRATEGY
Page 1: Australia’s Counter-Terrorism Str
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTSFOREWORD...................
Page 7 and 8: EXECUTIVESUMMARYIn September 2014,
Page 9: Australia may also contribute to in
Page 12 and 13: Lone actor terrorist attacks‘Lone
Page 14 and 15: 1 Note that Australians (suspected
Page 18 and 19: Some terrorist propaganda, such as
Page 20 and 21: 2. STOPPING PEOPLEFROM BECOMINGTERR
Page 22 and 23: 3. SHAPING THEGLOBALENVIRONMENTTerr
Page 24 and 25: 4. DISRUPTINGTERRORIST ACTIVITYWITH
Page 26 and 27: Disrupting the movement of terroris
Page 28 and 29: Exercise IRON MOONIn 2013, Exercise
Page 30 and 31: Australia’s response to the 2002
Page 32: GOVERNANCE ANDACCOUNTABILITYgaps ar

Australias-Counter-Terrorism-Strategy-2015

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