The worldwide hunt for terrorists is
requiring ASIO to spread its wings and
look increasingly overseas.
Although it is traditionally Australia's
domestic security agency the Australian
Secret intelligence Service (ASIS) handles
overseas operations it is expanding its
reach offshore by increasing its network
of international liaison offices to 120
countries.
ASIO director-general Paul O'Sullivan
has effectively warned staff to avoid
potential clashes between the organisations,
telling overseas liaison officers it
was essential they worked with ASIS and
other spy agencies.
''Think about the possible usefulness of
information you acquire for other Australian
agencies,'' he said.
''Something may be incidental in
relation to our specific functions, but
have value for the work done by other
[Australian intelligence community] or
Australian government agencies.
''In terms of the way you interact with
Australian agencies [overseas], I can say
that I, and all of the other heads of the
relevant departments and agencies, fully
expect embassies or task forces deployed
overseas to work as 'Team Australia'.
''In today's environment, the risks
associated with not working together are high, the repercussions great.'' Mr O'Sullivan,
in a speech made public yesterday,
said his agency's national security function
''encompasses but extends beyond
Australia's shores''.
''The common coinage that ASIO is
'Australia's domestic security agency' is
an enduring frustration, because it fails to
convey that our mandate to obtain,
correlate, evaluate and provide security
intelligence and advice is defined thematically,
and therefore is purposely
indifferent to the global source or location
of threats to Australia, Australian
interests, and Australians,'' he said.
Many of the threats to security that
ASIO investigated emanated offshore and
recent experience had shown there was
significant value in the international
liaison network.
''Individuals and groups of concern in
our domestic environment often have
international connections, or travel overseas,
and offshore circumstances and
events colour and influence onshore
security conditions,'' he said.
Although some aspects of ASIO's work
remained tightly compartmentalised, its
client base was evolving and broadening,
''as intelligence-related advice and
security-related expertise increasingly is
being drawn upon across various areas of
decision-making, inside and outside of
government''.
''This in large part reflects significant
changes to the security environment
most obviously, although not only, connected
to the rise of global terrorism
particularly the fact that the threats we
collectively face tend now to be more
diffuse.
''But it also reflects broader societal and
economic dynamics, like globalisation
processes, which are having ramifications
for the nature, perception and management
of risk within government, the
private sector, and the community more
broadly.''
Mr O'Sullivan also warned his staff
about ignoring the findings of
investigations into the way terrorism
cases are handled.
''It would be a serious mistake on our
part to see these reviews as aberrations, or
reflecting merely a temporary focus on
the efficacy of national security
arrangements,'' he said.