Prime Minister Scott Morrison has reported that Islamic State has posted a “sick” video urging new recruits to set fire to Australia’s bushland.
When questioned by 2 GB’s Ben Fordham, Mr Morrison said there was a “new recruiting video this morning urging followers to intentionally light bushfires in places like Australia.”
As Australia was caught up in the coronavirus epidemic, he said that there were still “some creeps out there who would hurt us.”
“It’s right Ben, it’s a reminder that while there is the great threat of the pandemic at the moment, the other threats haven’t gone anywhere,” Mr Morrison said. “And we need to remain vigilant about that.”
The horror black summer in Australia saw hundreds of fires across the country, with 11 million hectares of land burnt.
The area of land that the bushfires scorched was greater than Ireland or South Korea.
The bushfires destroyed nearly 6000 homes, 34 people were killed and an estimated 1 billion animals were wiped out.
Mr Morrison did not comment specifically on the content of the IS video – but said that the government remains “very alert” about threats online.
“Yesterday with Peter Dutton, we launched the cyber security strategy. That‘s keeping families safe from the dark web and the paedophiles and other creeps that go around trying to get into our kids’ lives through the internet.
“ISIL continues to spread messages and propaganda online and seeks to influence individuals to act violently,” a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs told news.com.au.
“It’s capacity to radicalise individuals into perpetrators here and abroad remains a very real threat.”
“The Australian Government continually works with digital industry, regulatory agencies, and international partners to limit access to, and disrupt, terrorist and violent extremist propaganda online.”