Five Eyes call for cohesive strategy to address surge in youth extremism
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The news: Australian intelligence agencies are sounding the alarm over a surge in youth extremism, as they released a landmark report with their Five Eyes partners.
The context: On Friday, intelligence agencies in the Five Eyes countries — Australia, the US, the UK, Canada, and New Zealand — released their first public research collaboration, calling for a whole-of-society response to help identify the radicalisation of minors.
Warning youth extremism is “not something governments or communities can address in isolation”, the joint paper calls for a cohesive strategy including mental health services, community initiatives, social services and education — with law enforcement as a last resort.
The online world is increasingly complicating the work of counter-terror agencies, with the advent of encrypted apps making extremist content harder to find, and minors increasingly normalising violent content online.
The paper warns even gaming sites are being used by extremists as a point of first contact to radicalise minors.
It also reveals details of two previously unreported cases of youth extremism in Australia, without revealing specific locations.
In one, a 16-year-old was convicted of advocating terrorism after sharing extremist material on an online platform, urging other users to attack non-Caucasians to “defend the white race”. After Australian authorities shared intelligence on the case, a person overseas with links to the teen’s Telegram posting was arrested.
In the other case, a 14-year-old used Snapchat to threaten a school shooting and warning he had access to exclusives and firearms. Educators said he was known to take “racist actions” against Asians and Indigenous Australians. He was given a two-year good behaviour bond and placed in a countering violent extremism (CVE) intervention program.
The report’s release came just a day after a 19-year-old accused of planning multiple terror attacks in Melbourne applied for bail.
In June, another 19-year-old was charged with planning a terror attack in Newcastle after allegedly entering state Labor MP Tim Crakanthorp with the intention of killing.
Australian counter-terror authorities have conducted operational activities against 35 people aged 17 or younger since the beginning of 2020, and 57% were charged with Commonwealth or state offences.
What they said: “Around 20% of ASIO’s priority counter-terrorism cases involve young people. In every one of the terrorist attacks, disruptions and suspected terrorist incidents in Australia this year, the alleged perpetrator was a young person,” Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation director-general Mike Burgess said.
“As a parent, the numbers are shocking. As an intelligence officer, the numbers are sobering.”
The sources: Five Eyes joint paper, Newcastle Herald, The Guardian
