Politics ,
Feb 10, 10:18
Australia uncovers anti-government foreign conspiracy involving ‘puppeteer’
Australia’s security and intelligence agencies foiled a plot to interfere in this year’s national elections by an unnamed government through a wealthy “puppeteer”. About it reported on the website of the country’s intelligence service (ASIO).
As ASIO laureate Mike Burgess clarified, the “puppeteer” has “direct and deep ties to a foreign government and its intelligence agencies,” this person planned to make political donations and create positive media coverage for some politicians participating in the elections.
The puppeteer, he said, hired a man to organize foreign intervention operations and used an offshore bank account to provide “hundreds of thousands of dollars” for operating expenses. “An adviser hired by the puppeteer began to identify candidates who chose to run in the election who either supported the interests of a foreign government or were considered vulnerable to inducement and processing,” Burgess said.
The intelligence chief specified that the “puppeteer” was carefully considering ways to promote candidates through “generous support”, posting favorable material on foreign news platforms, and providing other forms of assistance. “The goal was not only to bring the candidates to power, but also to arouse in them a sense of gratitude and duty that could later be used,” he explained and noted that the candidates chosen knew nothing about the conspiracy.