Australia’s terrorism threat level has been downgraded from “probable” to “possible” for the first time since 2014, the head of the main domestic spy agency said on Monday.
The defeat of the Islamic State group in battle in the Middle East and an ineffective al-Qaida propaganda machine failing to connect with Western youth has resulted in fewer extremists in Australia, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Director-General Mike Burgess said.
“This does not mean the threat is extinguished,” Burgess said.
“It remains plausible that someone will die at the hands of a terrorist in Australia within the next 12 months,” he added.
However, there have been increases in radical nationalism and right-wing extremist ideology in Australia in the past couple of years, Burgess said.