US EditionAustralian Spy Chief Warns of Russian Disinformation Campaigns
- On November 4, 2025, Mike Burgess used the 2025 Lowy Lecture at Sydney Town Hall to warn ASIO assesses a 'realistic possibility' a foreign government might try to assassinate a perceived dissident in Australia, with at least three nations willing and capable.
- Hostile nation states are exploiting internet and social media to promote discord, while authoritarian regimes increasingly use criminal cut‑outs, with Iran directing arson attacks earlier this year; Burgess warned artificial intelligence accelerates disinformation.
- ASIO revealed operational examples including recruitment attempts by foreign spy services targeting Australians for inside information on the economy, critical minerals, and the $368 billion AUKUS submarine program, including a third-country meeting and links to pro-Russian influencers and an offshore media organisation.
- Burgess said Australia's social fabric is fraying amid multiple threats, urging a whole‑of‑society response as ASIO and law enforcement partners work around the clock with guarded optimism.
- The director-general described the current threat landscape as unprecedented, warning artificial intelligence will take online radicalisation and disinformation to new levels and singled out Russian-backed operatives and 'state-sanctioned trolls'.
38 Articles
38 Articles
ASIO Warns 3 Foreign States Poised for ‘Lethal Targeting’ in Australia
Months after Canberra forced out Iran’s ambassador over its role in plots against Jewish targets, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess has issued another alarm: more hostile governments are positioning to strike inside Australia. “We believe there are at least three nations willing and capable of conducting lethal targeting here,” Burgess told the 2025 Lowy Lecture on Nov. 4, warning of a “realistic possibility” a foreign government could attempt …
Australian spy chief says ‘state sanctioned trolls’ sowing social
SYDNEY: Australia’s spy chief has warned anti-immigration rallies are being exploited by neo-Nazi groups and “Russian operatives” to sow discord, as the country faces a trend seen across Western democracies of declining trust and rising disinformation. The Australian Security Intelligence Organization’s director-general of security, Mike Burgess, said on Tuesday community
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