It's hard to spy on Muslims: top cop
SECURITY agencies are struggling to infiltrate extremist Muslim groups using the undercover methods they employ to tackle organised crime, one of Australia's leading counter-terrorism experts believes.
NSW Assistant Police Commissioner Nick Kaldas warned that the line between terrorism and crime had blurred as terrorists tried new ideas in pursuing their ideological goals.
"They're very innovative about working up new ways to communicate with each other," Mr Kaldas said. "There's obviously enormous difficulty in penetrating these groups, unlike organised crime groups where you still have a chance of getting an undercover operative."
Mr Kaldas, head of the NSW police counter-terrorism unit, said community programs were useful in reducing the likelihood of Muslims turning to extremism, and in improving relations with authorities.
"There may be a small percentage that will not engage, and they're the one's we probably ought to be worried about," he said.
"The point of community contact is to build resilience within communities which are susceptible to that radicalising effect. And it's about not letting more people get sucked into the vortex of radicalisation."
Mr Kaldas said terrorists, unlike criminal groups, often stepped up their efforts when they discovered they were under surveillance.
"When they feel they're being watched, they don't back away but pick up the pace," he said. "That's something we've really got to grapple with."
Mr Kaldas said the internet was one of the main sources used by terrorists to obtain propaganda material.He expressed concern about members of the Muslim and Arab communities relying too heavily on foreign news to shape their views of the world.
Mr Kaldas said while NSW police did not want to ban people from watching television networks such as al-Jazeera, they were interested in introducing community members to Australian views through grassroots programs.
"We need more effective community engagements ... so they're aware of a broader picture and different points of view," he said.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22702745-2702,00.html