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Wednesday, September 23, 2020 3:51:31 AM
Right-wing extremists using Islamic State tactics to recruit, ASIO warns, amid spike in surveillance
"The Far-Right Revolution Was Waiting for an Opportunity. Now, It’s Here.
"'No Blame?' ABC News finds 54 cases invoking 'Trump' in connection with violence, threats, alleged assaults.
"Leaked Documents Show Police Knew Far-Right Extremists Were the Real Threat at Protests, Not “Antifa”"""
No doubt Trump's racist and violent rhetoric has pushed the pulse of far-right recruitment in Australia too.
By defence correspondent Andrew Greene
Posted Yesterday at 6:39pm
The number of far-right counterterrorism cases has ballooned. (Reuters: Go Nakamura)
Australia's domestic spy agency has revealed a dramatic rise in the number of violent right-wing extremists under surveillance, while warning some groups are now employing Islamic State-style radicalisation tactics.
Key points:
* Up to 40 per cent of ASIO's counterterrorism case load is linked to right-wing extremism
* Some groups have been compared to Islamic State due to their propaganda outreach online
* ASIO says the COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity for extremists to radicalise more people
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has told Parliament's Joint Intelligence and Security Committee that far-right movements are also taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to bolster recruitment .. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-12/asio-briefing-warns-far-right-is-exploiting-coronavirus/12344472 .
ASIO deputy director-general Heather Cook said up to 40 per cent of the agency's counterterrorism efforts are now focussed on thwarting violent plots by right-wing groups or individuals.
"Extreme right-wing violent extremism occupies approximately between 30 and 40 per cent of ASIO's current case load in our counterterrorism work — and that is an increase from approximately 10 and 15 per cent prior to 2016," she said.
Ms Cook has also revealed that ASIO is concerned that right-wing extremists are now using the same strategies as Islamic extremists to bolster their ranks.
"I think not dissimilar to the way ISIL [Islamic State] used its propaganda and its ability to manipulate social media to recruit the young and the vulnerable — I think we are seeing a similar phenomenon being used by some in that extreme right-wing milieu to good effect," she said.
ASIO deputy director-general Heather Cook (right) says the number of cases has increased in recent years.
(ABC News: Adam Kennedy)
The threat posed by radical right-wing extremists came to public prominence following last year's deadly Christchurch mosque shootings, and in February, ASIO warned that neo-Nazis were emerging as one of Australia's most challenging security threats.
Under questioning from Labor MP Anthony Byrne, Ms Cook also warned that COVID-19 was leading to an increase in radicalisation.
"There's always a combination of factors which contribute to an attraction to a particular type of ideology at a particular point in time," she said.
"Some of the circumstances of COVID have contributed to an increase in radicalisation, in particular, because of the amount of time that individuals are spending in isolation or working from home or not in school.
"It makes it much easier to be finding like-minded individuals, there is a much wider variety of what I would call chat groups or areas where individuals with these views can coalesce and discuss and I guess promote those views more widely."
Mr Byrne, the deputy chair of the intelligence committee, described the revelations of a rapid increase in violent right-wing extremists as "astonishing".
Responding to ASIO's evidence, Shadow Home Affairs Minister Kristina Keneally tweeted that Australia was still the only country inside the "Five-Eyes" intelligence network — which includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand — which had not officially proscribed any right-wing extremist group as a terrorist organisation .. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-10/labor-calls-for-right-wing-extremists-be-proscribed-terrorists/12652298 .
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-22/right-wing-extremists-asio-islamic-state-tactics/12690002
See also:
Leaked Documents Show Police Knew Far-Right Extremists Were the Real Threat at Protests, Not “Antifa”
"Politics Drive Views of US Response to 2 Oregon Standoffs"
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=157167231
The Story Behind Bill Barr’s Unmarked Federal Agents
"Frank Figliuzzi On Trump: He Relishes The Idea That People Are Appalled | Deadline | MSNBC
"Colin Powell just called out every Republican in Congress""
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=156142661
The Republican Embrace of QAnon Goes Far Beyond Trump
"Why conspiracy theories flourish on the right
"Think QAnon Is on the Fringe? So Was the Tea Party
"...Joe Biden camp calls Donald Trump 'abhorrent' amid Kamala Harris conspiracy"""
[...]
Other Republican elected officials who have tried to push back publicly against QAnon’s spread have found themselves under attack. This month, when Representative Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, posted a tweet that called QAnon a fabrication that has “no place in Congress,” a senior Trump campaign staff member immediately fired back ..
p - Fearful of inviting similar blowback, few other elected Republicans have been willing to speak out publicly. Mostly, they avoid questions about it, demonstrating the thin line some officials are trying to walk between extreme elements among their base who adore Mr. Trump and the moderate voters they need to win over.
[...]
More unusual is how QAnon adherents often portray Mr. Trump as a god-emperor figure who has been sending them coded messages of support. The QAnon slogan, “We Are the Storm,” grew out of a remark by Mr. Trump .. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06/us/politics/trump-calls-meeting-with-military-leaders-the-calm-before-the-storm.html , who quipped during a 2017 photo op with generals, “You guys know what this represents? Maybe it’s the calm before the storm.”
P - The Texas Republicans adopted the slogan in late July after electing a new chairman, Allen West, a former congressman from Florida whose rapid political ascent during the rise of the Tea Party in 2010 was matched only by his fast fall out of Congress two years later. Though Mr. West had not previously indicated any support for QAnon, during his time in Congress he often framed issues as being part of a struggle to save the country, a theme that courses through the conspiracy theory.
P - Now, eight years later, under his leadership the state party appears intent on bringing the QAnon caucus into the fold in Texas. The new slogan was quickly picked up by local chapters of the state party, as well as some prominent Texas Republicans. Whether they believed it and knew where it came from, or simply saw a play for votes in an election year in which Democrats are expected to make gains in Texas, is an open question, though some disaffected Republicans in Texas said QAnon-inspired beliefs were spreading dangerously inside the party.
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=157775648
"The Far-Right Revolution Was Waiting for an Opportunity. Now, It’s Here.
"'No Blame?' ABC News finds 54 cases invoking 'Trump' in connection with violence, threats, alleged assaults.
"Leaked Documents Show Police Knew Far-Right Extremists Were the Real Threat at Protests, Not “Antifa”"""
No doubt Trump's racist and violent rhetoric has pushed the pulse of far-right recruitment in Australia too.
By defence correspondent Andrew Greene
Posted Yesterday at 6:39pm
The number of far-right counterterrorism cases has ballooned. (Reuters: Go Nakamura)
Australia's domestic spy agency has revealed a dramatic rise in the number of violent right-wing extremists under surveillance, while warning some groups are now employing Islamic State-style radicalisation tactics.
Key points:
* Up to 40 per cent of ASIO's counterterrorism case load is linked to right-wing extremism
* Some groups have been compared to Islamic State due to their propaganda outreach online
* ASIO says the COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity for extremists to radicalise more people
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has told Parliament's Joint Intelligence and Security Committee that far-right movements are also taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to bolster recruitment .. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-12/asio-briefing-warns-far-right-is-exploiting-coronavirus/12344472 .
ASIO deputy director-general Heather Cook said up to 40 per cent of the agency's counterterrorism efforts are now focussed on thwarting violent plots by right-wing groups or individuals.
"Extreme right-wing violent extremism occupies approximately between 30 and 40 per cent of ASIO's current case load in our counterterrorism work — and that is an increase from approximately 10 and 15 per cent prior to 2016," she said.
Ms Cook has also revealed that ASIO is concerned that right-wing extremists are now using the same strategies as Islamic extremists to bolster their ranks.
"I think not dissimilar to the way ISIL [Islamic State] used its propaganda and its ability to manipulate social media to recruit the young and the vulnerable — I think we are seeing a similar phenomenon being used by some in that extreme right-wing milieu to good effect," she said.
ASIO deputy director-general Heather Cook (right) says the number of cases has increased in recent years.
(ABC News: Adam Kennedy)
The threat posed by radical right-wing extremists came to public prominence following last year's deadly Christchurch mosque shootings, and in February, ASIO warned that neo-Nazis were emerging as one of Australia's most challenging security threats.
Under questioning from Labor MP Anthony Byrne, Ms Cook also warned that COVID-19 was leading to an increase in radicalisation.
"There's always a combination of factors which contribute to an attraction to a particular type of ideology at a particular point in time," she said.
"Some of the circumstances of COVID have contributed to an increase in radicalisation, in particular, because of the amount of time that individuals are spending in isolation or working from home or not in school.
"It makes it much easier to be finding like-minded individuals, there is a much wider variety of what I would call chat groups or areas where individuals with these views can coalesce and discuss and I guess promote those views more widely."
Mr Byrne, the deputy chair of the intelligence committee, described the revelations of a rapid increase in violent right-wing extremists as "astonishing".
Responding to ASIO's evidence, Shadow Home Affairs Minister Kristina Keneally tweeted that Australia was still the only country inside the "Five-Eyes" intelligence network — which includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand — which had not officially proscribed any right-wing extremist group as a terrorist organisation .. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-10/labor-calls-for-right-wing-extremists-be-proscribed-terrorists/12652298 .
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-22/right-wing-extremists-asio-islamic-state-tactics/12690002
See also:
Leaked Documents Show Police Knew Far-Right Extremists Were the Real Threat at Protests, Not “Antifa”
"Politics Drive Views of US Response to 2 Oregon Standoffs"
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=157167231
The Story Behind Bill Barr’s Unmarked Federal Agents
"Frank Figliuzzi On Trump: He Relishes The Idea That People Are Appalled | Deadline | MSNBC
"Colin Powell just called out every Republican in Congress""
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=156142661
The Republican Embrace of QAnon Goes Far Beyond Trump
"Why conspiracy theories flourish on the right
"Think QAnon Is on the Fringe? So Was the Tea Party
"...Joe Biden camp calls Donald Trump 'abhorrent' amid Kamala Harris conspiracy"""
[...]
Other Republican elected officials who have tried to push back publicly against QAnon’s spread have found themselves under attack. This month, when Representative Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, posted a tweet that called QAnon a fabrication that has “no place in Congress,” a senior Trump campaign staff member immediately fired back ..
.. at him, saying he should be focused on “conspiracy theories pushed by Democrats.”When will @RepKinzinger condemn the Steele Dossier fabrications and conspiracy theories pushed by Democrats? That actually WAS Russian propaganda. https://t.co/NzVjbkkk8l
— Matt Wolking (@MattWolking) August 12, 2020
p - Fearful of inviting similar blowback, few other elected Republicans have been willing to speak out publicly. Mostly, they avoid questions about it, demonstrating the thin line some officials are trying to walk between extreme elements among their base who adore Mr. Trump and the moderate voters they need to win over.
[...]
More unusual is how QAnon adherents often portray Mr. Trump as a god-emperor figure who has been sending them coded messages of support. The QAnon slogan, “We Are the Storm,” grew out of a remark by Mr. Trump .. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06/us/politics/trump-calls-meeting-with-military-leaders-the-calm-before-the-storm.html , who quipped during a 2017 photo op with generals, “You guys know what this represents? Maybe it’s the calm before the storm.”
P - The Texas Republicans adopted the slogan in late July after electing a new chairman, Allen West, a former congressman from Florida whose rapid political ascent during the rise of the Tea Party in 2010 was matched only by his fast fall out of Congress two years later. Though Mr. West had not previously indicated any support for QAnon, during his time in Congress he often framed issues as being part of a struggle to save the country, a theme that courses through the conspiracy theory.
P - Now, eight years later, under his leadership the state party appears intent on bringing the QAnon caucus into the fold in Texas. The new slogan was quickly picked up by local chapters of the state party, as well as some prominent Texas Republicans. Whether they believed it and knew where it came from, or simply saw a play for votes in an election year in which Democrats are expected to make gains in Texas, is an open question, though some disaffected Republicans in Texas said QAnon-inspired beliefs were spreading dangerously inside the party.
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=157775648
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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