The head of Australia's domestic intelligence agency has alleged that an Iranian covert agent, who is an Australian citizen, orchestrated a firebombing at a kosher restaurant in Sydney's Bondi last year. Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), also claimed that a former Australian resident living in Iraq directed an attack on a Melbourne synagogue in December 2024.
In his annual threat assessment speech on Wednesday, Burgess said the two incidents were linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and were part of a covert campaign to promote antisemitism and violence against Iran's perceived enemies. He warned that Australia faces a degraded security environment with concurrent, cascading and compounding threats from homegrown terrorists, foreign regimes, and espionage activities targeting the AUKUS pact.
Burgess highlighted that social media is amplifying an erosion of trust in institutions, promoting discord and heightening polarisation. He noted that hatred of Jews is a common factor among violent extremist cohorts. The ASIO boss urged Australians to embrace tolerance and a “fair go” to reduce societal tensions.
Among other threats, Burgess revealed that at least five foreign regimes are targeting Australians with coerced repatriations. He also detailed a case where a foreign spy, disguised as a consultant, obtained two reports from an Australian security clearance holder about Australia's relationship with Pacific neighbours before ASIO disrupted the operation.
Burgess concluded that the cumulative challenge of addressing all threats simultaneously is the intelligence agency's biggest test. He stressed the need to deal with all major threats rather than prioritising them.
