National efforts
Joint Counter Terrorism Teams
The Joint Counter Terrorism Teams are a partnership between members from the AFP, state and territory police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. The aim of the teams is to work closely with other domestic agencies in the broader intelligence community and with international partners to identify and investigate terrorist activities in Australia (including terrorism financing) with an emphasis on preventative operations. The AFP’s role in the National Disruption Group complements the role of the Joint Counter Terrorism Teams.
National Disruption Group
The AFP is committed to working with Australian communities and partner agencies to combat violent extremism and the radicalisation of Australians.
As part of funding provided in August 2014 under the Australian Government’s national security package, the AFP has established a number of key capabilities to further strengthen Australia’s response to extremism. This includes the establishment of the AFP-led National Disruption Group (NDG) which consists of a number of capabilities such as a Diversion Team.
The NDG brings together the AFP and its partner agencies to coordinate operational disruption activities nationally and internationally with the aim of countering the enduring threat posed by foreign fighters.
The agencies participating in the NDG alongside the AFP are:
- Attorney-General’s Department
- Australian Crime Commission
- Australian Immigration and Border Protection Portfolio
- Australian Intelligence Agencies
- Australian Taxation Office
- Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre
- Department of Defence
- Department of Foreign Affairs
- Department of Human Services
- Department of Social Services
- State and territory police
The NDG consolidates the capabilities of participating agencies to prevent, disrupt and prosecute Australian nationals who travel or intend to travel offshore to engage in hostilities and/or undertake terrorism training, as well as those providing support to them.
Diversion Operations Team
In November 2014, the Commonwealth established arrangements to assist individuals at-risk of disengagement and radicalisation by referring them to Commonwealth funded, state-led intervention programs. The purpose of these programs is to provide services so that at-risk individuals can disengage from violence and reconnect with their family and community before they harm themselves or others.
The AFP Counter Violence Extremism (CVE) Strategy complements the national approach to CVE being led by the CVE Centre, Department of Home Affairs. The AFP’s role in CVE is to work collaboratively with Commonwealth and jurisdictional partners, through an intelligence and risk-led approach, in identifying individuals and groups who are at risk of supporting violent extremism in Australia. Cases referred through Commonwealth agencies, including the National Security Hotline, are considered by AFP CT Diversion Operations and then referred to the relevant State or Territory Intervention Coordinator. The AFP do not host or facilitate intervention programs.
AFP CVE objectives are to:
- strengthen relationships with identified communities to counter violent extremism, including working collaboratively with existing operational and liaison teams, in particular the AFP Community Liaison Teams (CLTs), in support of community engagement, reintegration and rehabilitation strategies;
- as appropriate, identify and disrupt, via collaborative intervention methods, those vulnerable to radicalisation;
- promote collaborative initiatives with Commonwealth and jurisdictional partners targeted at disengaging those involved in the radicalisation process; and
- monitor trends and adapt to future CVE challenges, acknowledging the fluid and dynamic nature of terrorism.
