Australia lowers threat of domestic terrorism to ‘possible’ – KESQ

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The director of Australia’s top domestic spy agency says the country has lowered its terror threat level from “probable” to “possible” for the first time since 2014. The organization’s director general Australian Security Intelligence Mike Burgess says the defeat of the Islamic State group in battle in the Middle East and an ineffective al Qaeda propaganda machine failing to connect with Western youth has resulted in fewer extremists in Australia. However, Burgess says there have been increases in radical nationalism and far-right ideology in Australia in recent years. He says there have been 11 terror attacks and 21 other plots foiled since the threat assessment was raised from “possible” to “probable” in 2014.