Sydney’s “Solo‑Wolf” Dilemma: Why New Attacks Might Be Harder to Stop
On a grungy Friday, through a greasy haze and a smell of gasoline, a man named Hassan Khalif Shire Ali launched a terror spree in Melbourne’s city centre. He set fire to a pick‑up truck loaded with gas cylinders, then went on a stabbing rampage that claimed the life of a 74‑year‑old gentleman.
For the uninitiated, let’s break it down in plain chat‑room style:
- Who it was: 30‑year‑old Hassan, a Somali‑born former fringe contact that police thought “not a full‑blown threat,” but clearly had radical rants.
- What he did: Gazed at a gas‑truck, snapped a kitchen knife, and crashed in, turning a shopping‑centre into an actual crime‑scene.
- Result: Three panels in the crowd, one dead (the 74‑year‑old), and the police undeniably declared it terror.
Peter Dutton on “Soft Targets” and “Low‑Tech” Weaponry
Speaking to ABC Radio, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton waved a meta‑warning: “If you’re looking at a soft target—a mall or a grocery place—and you’re just holding a knife and a couple of gas bottles, it’s practically impossible to stop the act unless you’ve got concrete proof.”
In other words, when the hell you’re dealing with an “animal” gun, no fancy tech, just a knife and a road‑trailer, “ahead-of-time” stopping looks about as real as a unicorn.
Encrypted Messaging’s Role
Another tiny but towering hurdle: encrypted chat apps. Jiang’s etc. Most people’s best friend is the digital whisper‑box—Telegram, Signal, etc. 10‑minute stealth conversations turning into plots? Cracking that is basically a tough nut for the police.
- Australia’s new legislation could finally swing the ball: The law will force giants like Facebook & Apple to hand over “private encrypted data” if it’s tied to suspect activities.
- “Nobody can hide in a techno‑hollow without giving up a little file,” the act states.
Prime Minister’s “Probable” Advisory
Over on the big hill, PM Scott Morrison told everyone it’s a “probable” level—just smack in the middle of the pentagonal terror‑advice scale. Basically, the Middle Tier—neither “red” nor “green.”
Successes and Past Fails
- At least 12 plots have been foiled (ranging from Christmas‑Melbourne bomb plans to a Brides‑like “meat mincer” bomb on a flight to Abu Dhabi).
- Alas, 2014 ended bluntly: a lone‑gunman in a Sydney cafe trapped two hostages and jumped a 17‑hour hostage siege, murdering two. The take‑away? Detecting scouting in real time is still a nightmare.
Bottom line: It’s a dance between community fear, mental‑health insights, encryption walls and “soft‑target” realities. In the end, the Australian security squad’s answer is: it’s a fortress-style issue—flat‑topped organization and tough‑titan pepper, but we still don’t have full‑range fire‑walls.
