Australia bill proposes indefinite detention of terror convicts
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This photo shows Australian police arresting one of two men accused of plotting attacks on targets in Sydney, during an operation in Sydney, Australia, December 23, 2015. (By AFP)
Australia has proposed a new counter-terrorism bill that would allow the indefinite detention of people convicted of terror-related offenses.
According to Press TV, Australian Attorney-General George Brandis tabled the bill, known as “High Risk Terrorist Offenders,” on Thursday, saying in a statement that the new measure is intended “to ensure our laws are as strong and up-to-date as possible, to enable police and intelligence agencies to fight terrorism, and to keep our community safe.”
The attorney-general said the bill would enable the Supreme Court “to make an order for the ongoing detention of high-risk terrorist offenders who are approaching the end of their custodial sentences and are about to be released into the community.”
Brandis said the proposal aims to tighten the oversight of potential threats by lowering the age when a person suspected of terrorism can be subjected to telecommunications interceptions and get a control order to 14.
Over the past two years, Canberra has been on high alert for attacks by home-grown terrorists and has charged dozens of people with terrorism-related offenses, including some accused of planning mass attacks on the public.
In December 2014, a gunman believed to sympathize with Daesh took 18 people hostage in a 16-hour siege at a Sydney cafe. Two hostages died during the standoff, and the gunman was himself shot dead by police.
According to government officials, six attacks have been foiled over the past year in Australia.
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