Australian Spy Agency to Drop ‘Islamic,’ ‘Left-Right’ Labels in Describing Evolving Extremist Threats

Over the past year, ASIO removes or renders inoperative a "significant" number of foreign spies or proxies

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation ASIO Director General Mike Burgess preparing for his annual speech at ASIO headquarters in Canberra, Wednesday, March 17, 2021. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Australia’s domestic spy agency will no longer use terms such as ‘left-wing,’ ‘right-wing,’ and ‘Islamic extremism’ when describing potential terrorist or security threats to the nation.

Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Intelligence Security Organisation (ASIO) said the left-right and Islamic labels were “no longer fit for purpose”, and the agency would, instead, use the categories “religiously motivated violent extremism” and “ideologically motivated violent extremism.”