The Targeted Violence Podcast

The Landscape of Terrorism in Australia - The Targeted Violence Podcast - Episode 15 with Peter Moroney

In Part Two of my conversation with former New South Wales Police Detective Sergeant Peter Moroney, we shift from the historical lens of Operation Pendennis to the modern-day realities of terrorism and targeted violence in Australia. This episode explores how the threat landscape has evolved—particularly since around 2014, where we’ve seen a notable rise in lone actor attacks occurring with increasing frequency compared to previous decades. We unpack what’s driving this shift, and how it challenges traditional policing and intelligence models that were largely built around organised networks. A key focus of the discussion is the recent Bondi Beach attack, and the broader implications it carries for how Australia understands and responds to acts of mass violence. We examine the direction of the Royal Commission, alongside recent legislative changes to hate laws, and the growing emphasis on social cohesion as a preventative strategy. But an important question sits at the centre of this conversation—do these approaches genuinely reduce risk, or do they risk missing the complexity of individual pathways to violence? We also discuss two recent charges relating to separate alleged plots to carry out attacks on Australia Day, highlighting the persistence of intent and the ongoing challenge of early detection and disruption. Throughout the episode, Peter reflects on the continued importance of multi-agency collaboration—bringing together law enforcement, intelligence, mental health, and community-based approaches. We explore whether the future of prevention lies in reframing targeted violence not solely as a criminal justice issue, but as a broader public health concern—one that requires earlier intervention, better information sharing, and a more nuanced understanding of risk. This is a forward-looking conversation about where we are now, where the gaps remain, and what it will take to prevent the next act of targeted violence.

Australia's Largest Terrorist Plot - The Targeted Violence Podcast - Epsiode 14 with Peter Moroney

In this episode of the Targeted Violence Podcast, we sit down with former New South Wales Police Detective Sergeant Peter Moroney to explore one of Australia’s most significant counterterrorism investigations—Operation Pendennis. Spanning several years and involving an unprecedented level of coordination between agencies, Operation Pendennis was a joint counterterrorism effort between the New South Wales Police, Victoria Police, Australian Federal Police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. The investigation ultimately led to a series of coordinated raids across Victoria and New South Wales in November 2005, targeting networks believed to be planning mass-casualty terrorist attacks. The scale and seriousness of the threat reached the highest levels of government. Then Prime Minister John Howard was briefed, and Parliament was recalled to pass urgent counterterrorism legislation in anticipation of the operation and the arrests that would follow. On the ground, the operation was both complex and dangerous. More than 20 warrants were executed across two states, resulting in multiple arrests. In one instance, a suspect engaged in a shootout with police during the raids. The investigation uncovered a range of concerning behaviours consistent with attack planning, including coded phone communications, firearms training at a rural property, surveillance of potential targets, and the stockpiling of materials—thousands of litres of chemicals, along with significant quantities of batteries and clocks—suggestive of explosive device preparation. A central figure in the investigation was Abdul Nacer Benbrika, who was identified as the ideological leader of the Melbourne-based group. In New South Wales, police arrested nine individuals—each of whom was ultimately convicted for their role in the conspiracy to commit a terrorist act. Peter played a key role in this operation, and over the course of six years, he was deeply embedded in the investigation, working to identify, disrupt, and ultimately help convict those involved. Peter spent 17 years with New South Wales Police, retiring as a Detective Sergeant. In this conversation, he provides a rare, firsthand account of the operational realities behind a major counterterrorism investigation—offering insight into the investigative strategies, the pressures of working high-risk operations, and what it takes to prevent acts of targeted violence before they occur. Since leaving the police, Peter has published a book, Terrorism in Australia: The Story of Operation Pendennis. He is also the Director at Nemesis Consultancy Group.

Insider Threats & Dark Personalities - The Targeted Violence Podcast - Episode 13 with Dr Belinda Board & Professor Katarina Fritzon

In the latest episode of the Targeted Violence Podcast, I’m joined by Dr Belinda Board and Professor Katarina Fritzon to explore insider threats, dark personalities, and the individuals who derail organisations. More than 20 years ago, Belinda and Kate published their groundbreaking paper, Disordered Personalities at Work. Their research revealed a striking finding: business managers displayed higher levels of narcissistic, histrionic, and obsessive personality traits than psychiatric patients or criminal offenders. In this fascinating episode, we unpack some of the major challenges organisations face when it comes to personality risk in the workplace, including: ▶ Why organisations continue to make bad hiring decisions and often fail to properly examine the personality traits of candidates ▶ The organisational gaps that allow harmful behaviours to emerge and thrive ▶ The role of context and organisational culture in either promoting or preventing problematic behaviours ▶ How tools such as the Derailer Profiler can help identify personality risks in the workplace ▶ What organisations can do to reduce risk and better manage problematic personalities ▶ The lessons learned from the case of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos We also explore why the conversation around psychopaths and problematic personalities at work needs to shift—from sensational labels to a more practical discussion about risk and threat management. Intriguingly, we also examine how a public health approach to mitigating these risks may be a solution that workplaces need to adopt. Alongside this, Belinda discusses her ongoing work with organisations as the Founding CEO of Peoplewise and Group Chief Psychologist at the LCap Group, while Kate continues her research into dark personality traits in the workplace through the Australian College of Applied Psychologists. If you would like to learn more about the Derailer Profiler, Belinda can be contacted at belinda.board@peoplewise.co.uk. For those interested in researching personality traits in the workplace, Kate can be reached at Kate.Fritzon@acap.edu.au

Chasing Terrorists - The Targeted Violence Podcast - Episode 12 with Steven Keogh

In Part Two of our conversation on The Targeted Violence Podcast, I’m again joined by Steven Keogh, former Scotland Yard homicide detective, as we shift from murder investigation into his work in counter-terrorism in the years following September 11, 2001.Before moving into homicide full-time, Steven spent several years working in counter-terrorism during a period of significant operational intensity in the UK. We begin by exploring what drew him into this field and how the threat landscape in Britain changed in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. We discuss how investigative priorities evolved, the rise of group-based extremist networks in the early 2000s, and the complexity of managing coordinated plots.A major focus of this episode is Steven’s involvement in several significant terrorism investigations, including a foiled plot by an Al-Qaeda–linked cell planning large-scale attacks in London. We unpack the scale and ambition of these plans — from proposals to target the underground system to the use of vehicles and gas canisters.We also examine the ricin plot led by Kamel Bourgass, and the tragic killing of Detective Stephen Oake during Bourgass’s arrest. Steven reflects on the operational realities of these cases and the risks faced by officers working in this space. The conversation then turns to the July 7, 2005 London bombings, and the chaos, uncertainty, and intensity of responding to a mass-casualty terrorist attack.From there, we step back to consider how terrorism has evolved — from structured, group-based networks to increasingly self-initiated lone actors — and what this shift means for modern investigations and threat assessment.The second half of this episode focuses on investigative interviewing. Drawing on Steven’s experience interviewing both terrorism suspects and homicide offenders, we explore whether these interviews differ in approach, the challenges unique to ideologically motivated suspects, and how interview strategies are built within the PEACE framework. We unpack the concept of rapport — often discussed but less often clearly defined — and examine what genuinely effective rapport-building looks like in high-stakes interviews.Part Two offers an operational and reflective look at counter-terrorism policing and high-stakes interviewing — examining not only how these investigations unfold, but how investigators think, adapt, and communicate under pressure.

Catching Killers - The Targeted Violence Podcast - Episode 11 with Steven Keogh

In this episode of The Targeted Violence Podcast, we are joined by Detective Inspector Steven Keogh, a former Scotland Yard homicide detective who spent 30 years with the London Metropolitan Police, including 12 years investigating homicides at the sharp end of policing. In Part One of this conversation, Steve takes us inside his career — from joining the Met as a young officer to finding his way into homicide work at Scotland Yard. For listeners outside the UK, he explains how policing structures within the Metropolitan Police operate and what the pathway into specialist murder investigations really looks like. We reflect on his early career expectations, his first murder investigation, and the point at which homicide work became the work he knew he was meant to do. A significant focus of this episode is the disappearance and murder of Sian Blake and her two children, Amon and Zachary. Steve takes us back to the earliest stages of the investigation, how the case initially presented, and the importance of victimology in shaping investigative direction. We explore how Sian’s husband, Arthur Simpson-Kent, presented to police in the aftermath of the disappearance and draw parallels with other intimate partner homicide cases, including the murder of children’s author Helen Bailey.We also reflect on the emotional toll of investigating familicides, particularly cases involving children, the lack of true closure that can remain even after convictions, and how detectives cope with that reality. We finish off Part One by stepping back to examine the human and organisational side of homicide policing — what makes an effective homicide investigation team, how dysfunction and ego can derail investigations, and the value of meaningful debriefs once a case concludes. This episode offers an unfiltered look at homicide investigation — the decisions, the burdens, and the responsibility of seeking justice. Since retiring Steve, has published two book and further details about him can be found on his website https://stevekeogh.com.