ASIO downgrades risk of local terrorist attack

Intelligence chiefs have downgraded the risk of a terrorist attack in Australia despite the recent return of so-called ISIS brides and their children to western Sydney, and the gradual release from jail over coming years of more than 50 convicted jihadis.

ASIO on Monday lowered the threat warning of a terrorist attack from “probable” to “possible”, saying the degradation of Islamic State and al-Qaeda groups had made Australians safer, although an attack could not be ruled out.