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‘Violent extremists’: Asio boss warns of ‘angry and isolated’ Australians radicalised during pandemic
Mike Burgess says lockdown and vaccination grievances sometimes ‘turned to violence’ as he foreshadows foreign interference in 2022 federal election
The spy agency Asio has warned more “angry and alienated Australians” could turn to violence after being exposed to “an echo chamber” of extremist messaging, misinformation and conspiracy theories during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Asio boss, Mike Burgess, said on Wednesday the pandemic had sent online radicalisation “into overdrive” and he noted a “deeply distressing” trend of children – some as young as 13 – being radicalised online and in school.
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Read the original article at The Guardian