The following statement is attributable to AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett
When I became AFP Commissioner in October last year, I set a number of new priorities to identify and target those causing the most harm to Australia.
Key to this new posture was supercharging the AFP's global operations.
This means our members, who are based in more than 30 countries, are more actively leveraging our expertise, capability and partnerships to keep Australians safe.
The best way to keep Australians safe is to stop crime happening here in the first place - especially if it is being directed from offshore.
Put simply, the AFP will use every legal lever and advantage it has to target and identify criminals harming Australia.
Last year I announced my number one target - an alleged offshore offender who I called a national security threat to this country.
While the AFP had been working with domestic partners to dismantle this alleged offender's criminal network, a number of significant events required the AFP to supercharge its efforts in targeting this alleged offender offshore.
Since that time, the AFP has undertaken significant investigative work, including deploying offshore for the purpose of intelligence gathering.
AFP members have met with a number of agencies offshore about this alleged offender.
And I have had one-on-one conversations with law enforcement principals about this alleged offender.
Late last year, the AFP provided information to law enforcement officials in Iraq about this alleged offender.
Iraqi officials have made an independent decision to arrest this alleged offender after launching their own criminal investigation.
This arrest is a significant disruption to an alleged serious criminal and his alleged criminal enterprise in Australia.
The AFP will cooperate with key partners to help keep Australians safe.
The AFP thanks the National Center for International Judicial Cooperation in Iraq.
