Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is Australia's national security agency responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and terrorism.ASIO is comparable with the British Security Service (MI5) and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Generally, ASIO operations requiring police powers are co-ordinated with the Australian Federal Police and/or with state and territory police forces. ASIO officers have the right to arrest and detain.After passage of the National Security Legislation Amendment Act 2014 by the Parliament of Australia, ASIO officers are exempt from prosecution for a wide range of illegal activities in the course of conducting "operations". ASIO officers may carry arms, and the Minister responsible has the ability under certain conditions to approve the provision of any weapon or training to any specified person, even outside of ASIO officers.ASIO Central Office is in Canberra, with a local office being located in each mainland state and territory capital. A new A$630 million Central Office, Ben Chifley Building, named after Ben Chifley, prime minister when ASIO was created, was officially opened by then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on 23 July 2013.