*Pic: NSW Police pic of the early morning raid …
Terrorism alert level raised to high, but Tony Abbott says no attack is imminent Prime minister says the change should make no difference to normal activity, but people might notice more security
Australia has increased its terrorism alert level from medium to high – the first such change in 11 years.
Tony Abbott announced the move on Friday, two weeks after the UK raised its terrorism threat level and a day after the US outlined its strategy for targeting Islamic State (Isis) militants in northern Iraq and Syria.
Abbott told reporters on Friday the adjustment was made on the basis of preserving public safety. He said the change to the alert level had been executed by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio) on Thursday night.
“I want to stress that this does not mean that a terror attack is imminent,” the prime minister said, speaking next to the Asio director general, David Irvine, in Melbourne. “We have no specific intelligence of particular plots. What we do have is intelligence that there are people with the intent and the capability to mount attacks. I want to stress that.”
“I want to stress that for the vast majority of Australians, the rise in the threat level from medium to high will not make any difference to daily life,” Abbott said. “What people will probably notice though is more security at airports, more security at ports, more security at military bases, more security at government buildings, and more security at large public events.”
• Andrew Wilkie: The withdrawal of the Australian Federal Police from Hobart Airport “The consequences of the withdrawal of the Australian Federal Police from Hobart Airport are even worse than we first feared,” Mr Wilkie said. “I have learned that the two AFP detection dogs have already gone. One detected drugs and cash, and the other detected explosives. “And I have also learned that the Hobart-based AFP officers who are being removed were in the practise of inspecting Launceston Airport on a weekly basis, visits that will obviously no longer be possible. “In other words, Hobart Airport will be the only capital city airport without a permanent AFP presence and Hobart, and Tasmania more broadly, will be left without a range of law enforcement capabilities and advice.
THURSDAY …
• Fairfax: Public beheading fears: Tony Abbott confirms police believed terrorists planned ‘demonstration killings’ Prime Minister Tony Abbott says intelligence indicates people in Australia were allegedly planning a public beheading to be carried out in the name of militant group Islamic State. Mr Abbott’s comments come as police say they have thwarted a “serious act of violence” after arresting 15 people and charging one in the wake of counter-terrorism raids across Sydney and Brisbane on Thursday.
• Guardian: Scott Morrison says 12 asylum-seeker boats stopped under turnback policy Immigration minister breaks his silence weeks after the government rejected a freedom of information request for the same details
