DHAKA: Australia has raised its terror alert level to "high" for the first time since the national alert system was introduced in 2003, reports CNN.

According to the four-level system, a reading of "high" means a terrorist attack "is likely," however the country's Prime Minister Tony Abbott said no specific threat had been made.

"This does not mean a terror attack is imminent, we have no specific intelligence of particular plots. What we do have is intelligence that there are people with the intent and capability to mount attacks," Abbott said at a press conference in Canberra on Friday.

Australia introduced its alert system in 2003, with four levels of risk: low, medium, high and extreme. It's been at "medium" since the system began, and is defined as meaning a "terrorist attack could occur."

BDST: 1306 HRS, SEP 12, 2014