Exercises simulate terrorist prosecutions
The Australian Federal Police, ASIO and other members of the Australian intelligence community are taking part in regular exercises to simulate the investigation and prosecution of terrorism offences. Ernie Davitt has the story.
This follows the recommendations of the The Street Review: A review of interoperability between the AFP and its national security partners, conducted by former NSW Chief Justice Sir Laurence Street, former Director of the Defence Signals Directorate Martin Brady and former NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney.
The review covered four broad areas of operational decision-making processes, joint taskforce arrangements, information sharing, and training and education.
Federal Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, said: “Sir Laurence Street and the other committee members have made some very valuable and constructive suggestions, which will assist our agencies to work together more effectively.
“I am pleased that the AFP, ASIO and the DPP are already working hard at improving their coordination and communication in national security operations.
The recommendations in the AFP's Street Review will assist them in that process.”
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner, Mick Keelty, said the review committee had delivered 10 recommendations which would significantly improve the way joint agency counter-terrorism investigations were managed in the future.
“The AFP accepts all 10 recommendations and will work closely with the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and other national security agencies to ensure the recommendations are implemented as soon as possible,” he said.
ASIO officers have now been attached to the Melbourne and Sydney Joint Counter-Terrorism Teams (JCTT), ensuring better communication between the agencies at an operational level.
The AFP has also acted on the recommendation to participate in exercises simulating the investigation and prosecution of terrorism offenders in Australia and a strategy developed to retain expertise in the joint counter-terrorism teams.
In relation to the other recommendations: the AFP has developed a joint operations protocol with ASIO; guidelines have been drafted on the role of the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions in counter-terrorism investigations; and a new committee consisting of the AFP Commissioner, the Director-General of Security and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions will ensure national security issues, strategic priorities and enhanced interoperability are reviewed on a regular basis.
Recommendations relating to enhanced information technology systems and information sharing are being enacted in stages across the year.
Agencies and departments which contributed to the review included ASIO, the Office of the CDPP, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australian Attorney-General's Department, the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security, NSW Police Force, NSW Crime Commission, Victoria Police, Queensland Police Service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, US Federal Bureau of Investigation, United Kingdom Metropolitan Police Service and New Zealand Police.