THE AFP has set up new National Security Investigations (NSI) teams “to target groups and individuals causing high levels of harm to Australia’s social cohesion”.
Already, in the wake of the Dezi Freeman episode, we are seeing worrying trends of police targeting so-called “sovereign citizens” and it appears that the new NSI teams are running on the same agenda – targeting politically outspoken individuals.
A statement by the Federal Police, that appeared in media this week, says: “The NSI teams will work closely with state and territory police, law enforcement and national security partners to provide a coordinated, consistent and intelligence-led response to security threats, and also work on a global level through operations, capabilities and relationships with the international law enforcement intelligence community.”
We would hope that this group has more than just conservative law activists in mind, following the highly suspicious WA Police raids on firearms owners deemed to be “sovereign citizens”.
Dave Oneegs noted recently that those targeted were basically “law-abiding Australians who have obtained their firearms legally and lawfully, gone through all the processes, but now they’ve had a little knock on the door and basically be told ‘naughty, naughty, you’ve been having a little too much to think about and we’ll be taking those guns away from you’.”
Oneegs says he’s never been anti-cop, but what he is opposed to is law-abiding citizens who are doing their own research now being targeted by the government and being stripped of their ability to have weapons to defend themselves with or hunt or do whatever on their own property.
“This is ‘pre-crime’ … because they’re being stripped of their weapons because of something they might do,” he said. “Anyone who is thinking in this country will be deemed, labeled, pigeon-holed ‘a sovereign citizen’. It’s like the way they demonize people who think, as conspiracy theorists…”
Cairns News has heard that 10 of those targeted in WA were Commonwealth Public Officials – that is everyday Australians who appoint themselves as officers to carry out certain functions according to various Commonwealth laws, but who are not officially employed in the public service.
We are curious to know what they were charged with. How does holding a particular political belief – apart from outright terrorist beliefs – disqualify one from owning a firearm.
According to the AFP, there are “current and emerging groups dispersed across Australia and in some cases, overseas, who are eroding our country’s social fabric by advocating hatred, fear, and humiliation.”
“While many of these crimes may not meet the threshold of terrorism, the AFP has identified concerning behaviours which could escalate to politically-motivated violence or hate crimes, which seriously put the Australian community at risk,” the AFP says.
“There is no place for hate or violence in our communities and the AFP will defend and protect Australia and Australia’s future from these threats.
“Anyone with information about possible threats to the community or suspicious activity should make a report to the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400. In an emergency or life-threatening situation, contact Triple Zero (000).”
The AFP’s National Security Investigations teams are walking a very fine line between political surveillance and suppression of dissent and regular policing.