ASIO: Foreign States Could Target Dissidents

Speaking at the 2025 Lowy Lecture, ASIO director‑general Mike Burgess warned there is a “realistic possibility” that at least three foreign governments are willing and capable of attempting to assassinate perceived dissidents on Australian soil and may try to hide involvement by using criminal cutouts. He said ASIO disrupted an effort by a foreign intelligence service to recruit an Australian to pass classified requirements offshore; targets included inside information on the economy, critical minerals and the $368 billion AUKUS submarine program. Burgess said Australia faces an unprecedented confluence of threats to social cohesion and democratic institutions — foreign interference, misinformation and domestic extremism including neo‑Nazis, anti‑Israel activists and Islamist groups — exploiting polarisation. He warned social media algorithms and artificial intelligence are amplifying radicalisation, and said ASIO and law‑enforcement partners are “working around the clock” to protect Australians. While he referenced Iran and Russia, Burgess did not publicly name all three states he said pose a lethal threat, highlighting a more complex and high‑risk security environment.