The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is, officially, Australia's 'national security agency', but much like its US counter-parts the CIA and FBI, it has been far more involved in suppressing Australia's small leftist population than doing anything else.
Notable Activities
Opposition to the Political Left
The ASIO has consistently been monitoring the political left (and likely still is) and it has been alleged that the Organisation compiled a list of some 10,000 suspected leftists who would be arrested should the Cold War escalate.[1]
Failure to deal with the USSR
Chilean Military Coup
ASIO agents stationed in Chile in the early 1970s helping the US in the leadup to the military coup were ordered to leave, but defied the government and stayed, helping the CIA overthrow yet another democratic government. This continues a long string of authoritarian regimes supported by the Australian government, like Saudi Arabia or the New Order in Indonesia.
Royal Commission
Hilton Hotel Bombing
There is significant evidence to suggest that the ASIO might have orchestrated the bombing or at least have been aware of the possibility and allowed it to proceed.[2]
Spying on Anti-Coal Activists
In 2012 it was exposed that the ASIO had been monitoring groups and individual that had protested against the coal industry for environmental reasons.[3]
False Imprisonments
Terrorist Attacks the ASIO succeeded in Preventing
- 2018: The ASIO intercepted a group of Islamic terrorists from planning a large terrorist attack in Melbourne.[4]
Terrorist Attacks the ASIO Failed to Prevent
- 2018: The Melbourne CBD stabbings, an ISIS-supporting immigrant stabbed 3 people (killing 1) in Melbourne. ASIO had known of the man and his links to ISIS, but did nothing.
- 2019: The Christchurch Mosque Shootings, an Australian fascist drives to two mosques in the city of christchurch, New Zealand and killed 51 people, injuring another 49. The ASIO, despite being aware of his violent ideological beliefs and access to weapons, did nothing.
References
- ↑ ABC News (1997) - War on Dissent (Archived)
- ↑ Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Hilton_Hotel_bombing#Accusations_of_conspiracy
- ↑ Sydney Morning Herald (2016) - ASIO Eyes Green Groups
- ↑ ABC News (2018) - Melbourne CBD Christmas bomb plot foiled by ASIO rookie's chance encounter