In democracies and open societies, the public square is a place of commerce, discussion, leisure and, most importantly, where identities are worn — and respected — in all their diversity. The heinous attack by two gunmen that killed 14 people and wounded at least 40 others at Bondi Beach is terrorism at its most horrific, meant to transform the public space from a site of expression of unselfconscious trust, freedom and pluralism to one marked by suspicion, fear and violence. It is Australia’s deadliest shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur killings and has, understandably, shaken the country. India, which has often been a victim of terrorism, will understand better than most the challenges that emerge in its wake. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his condolences and condemned the terror act. One of the two shooters who was killed after the attack holds an Indian passport, and in days to come, New Delhi will undoubtedly assist Canberra in the investigation if any part of the trail leads here.
That the attackers targeted a Jewish gathering celebrating the first day of Hanukkah suggests that they were motivated by anti-semitism. Initial reports also indicate that they were “inspired” by ISIS. In the internet age, tackling such radicalisation is one of the most pressing challenges for nation-states. The first line of defence against such attacks is a robust intelligence-gathering framework, and the establishment of protocols for containing the threats. Australia’s intelligence agency reportedly examined one of the attackers six years ago over his ties to a terrorism cell connected to the Islamic State. If there were holes in the country’s intelligence framework or if actionable information was ignored, these issues must be addressed. At the same time, it is important to guard against excessive or extreme action. The provocative words of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Australia’s Labor government and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese are an example of how not to politicise the act of terrorism.
