Bondi Beach’s terror attack shattered a place of joy, and its security lessons are painfully clear |
By Aran Dharmeratnam
The attack that took place on Sunday 14 December on Bondi Beach has understandably caught the attention of the general public and the media.
A tragic event has taken place. Lives have been lost and the victims of this horrendous incident include both young and old, families, a rabbi, a Holocaust survivor, tourists and those who serve in law enforcement.
The Australian police have conveyed this as a terror-based attack, one that was aimed at the Jewish community as they celebrated the Jewish festival known as Hanukkah.
Now, in the aftermath, security levels will be raised; law enforcement and intelligence services will be carefully analysing and investigating the incident, as well as the background to the gunmen and their connection to other groups.
Another question that counter-terror professionals will be focused on: was this part of a planned wave of attacks or a one-off, impulsive expression of cruelty and hatred?
It was only last month that I wrote a piece for LBC looking at how to avoid crime during the festive season and mentioned the risk of terror attacks that could occur during this period.
Now, it’s awful to see that this is very much a reality in the modern world, one that is likely to keep escalating.
For many, it will be hard to fathom how these attackers could choose to target families and people coming together to celebrate what was supposed to be a joyful gathering.
The incident will also be distressing for the families of the victims and the people of Sydney. Over a thousand or so people gathered on Bondi Beach. It’s a famous place often populated by surfers, beach lovers, party-goers and tourists.
Now, there is spilt blood and memorial wreaths on its ground. Let’s take a look at some of the security implications that this active-shooter attack has stirred.
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is the country’s internal security service that plays a key role in counter-terrorism, counter-espionage and gathering usable intelligence about other domestic threats. Along with Australian Federal Police (AFP), which is also actively involved in investigating and countering terrorism, in the days ahead they will be delving into the previous activity and movements of the two suspects.
Although one of the suspects was killed by the police in the immediate response, one is alive but said to be in hospital in critical condition. This will certainly hinder or delay the gaining of practical........