Counter-terrorism expert sheds light on ‘paranoid and hateful’ rhetoric
Experts warn too little attention is being paid to potential terror threats from right-wing extremism.
An 18-year-old NSW man was today arrested on terrorism-related charges, alleged to have exhibited “an extreme right-wing ideology … focused on neo-Nazi, white supremacist and anti-Semitic material”.
Deakin University terrorism and security expert Professor Greg Barton told Jim Wilson the arrest is “not surprising”, and sheds light on the magnitude of the problem in Australia.
“There’s a whole plethora of groups that buy into this so-called ‘Great Replacement’ theory – a white supremacist idea that migrants, the Jews, Muslims … are coming and they’re taking our place.
“It’s of course paranoid and hateful, but it’s really taking root.”
New Zealand’s Royal Commission into Terrorist Attacks on Christchurch Mosques delivered findings this week which illuminated a need to pay greater attention to such threats.
The issue of right wing extremism will now be examined by a federal inquiry, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has announced.
“Up until Christchurch, to be frank we thought that the idea of a lethal attack was still some years off; now we know we can’t be sure of that.”
Click PLAY below to hear the full interview
Image: Getty
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