By Martha Azzi in the Daily Mail.

Counter-terrorism authorities are monitoring right-wing extremists over fears they will carry out attacks in Australia after finding hateful online comments encouraging violence.

Victoria’s terrorism watch list, which include more than 300 people, includes a number of right-wing extremists, the Herald Sun reports.

The far-right political groups have been compared to Islamic extremists as their comments on social media reference plans for attacks.

‘Sometimes it is necessary to take up our swords and stand against the enemy who would kill our children, our elderly and us,’ said one user on the United Patriots Front Facebook page.

Andre Oboler, chief executive at Online Hate Prevention Institute, said it is just a matter of time before right-wing extremists organise an attack.

‘When it comes to right-wing extremists, the question is when, not if such an attack will occur,’ Dr Oboler said.

‘[Members will] tire of rhetoric and decide they need to push the envelope’.

Counter-terror expert Greg Barton said police are now starting to fear an attack.

‘The sense I get from police is they’re more concerned about right-wing extremism than the general public,’ he said.

The Federal government is also looking at implementing similar programs currently being used in the UK and US that use former radicals to help tackle the risk of an attack by right-wing extremists.

Source: Martha Azzi, “Right-wing extremists placed on terrorism watch lists over fears they are plotting violent attacks in Australia“, Daily Mail, 23 July 2016