18 Oct
2006

















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The latest ASIO annual report has been tabled in Parliament by the federal Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock.

As usual it's a reticent document, mixing rhetoric about the "challenges posed by a dynamic security environment" with statistics about the activity of the main domestic surveillance agency.

The report indicates that ASIO conducted 135,000 personnel security checks in 2005-06 in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games, in the aviation and maritime sectors (eg for the Maritime Security Identification Card (MISC)) and for people seeking access to ammonium nitrate.

It conducted 53,147 visa security assessments and recommended against the entry of 12 people "assessed to pose a security risk because of links to politically motivated violence, terrorism or foreign intelligence services".

ASIO sought and was granted one warrant to question a person in relation to suspected terrorism offences.

Consistent with comments about Australians being "killed and injured overseas as a result of terrorist attacks, including in the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Iraq" and threats from "Islamic extremism". "espionage, violent protest, nationalist and racist violence" the organisation is

undergoing rapid growth, with the Government committing additional resources in October 2005. This will see the Organisation grow to 1,860 staff by 2010-11.

ASIO is an integral part of the Government's counter-terrorism strategy. It is pleasing that the Organisation is on track to meet its recruitment targets, with 247 new staff recruited in 2005-06.

This is the most staff ever recruited in a financial year and took the total to 1,110 as at 30 June.

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