Attacks on Australia in terror masterplan

By GREG ANSLEY Australia correspondent

CANBERRA - Australia was warned last night to expect direct attacks by terrorists planning a Muslim super-state that includes parts of the nation's north.

The warning, based on intelligence obtained from Philippines security agencies during a two-month investigation by the ABC's Four Corners programme, came as Canberra formally named the Indonesian Jemaah Islamiyah organisation as terrorists and launched tough measures to stamp out their operations in Australia.

Jemaah Islamiyah, linked to radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, is a prime suspect in the October 12 Bali bombing, which caused the confirmed deaths of 34 Australians - 55 are still unaccounted for and feared to be among unidentified victims.

The latest annual report by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), said key regional leaders and members of Jemaah Islamiyah had visited Australia, and confirmed its links to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda.

The organisation said al Qaeda, also now outlawed by Canberra, had trained groups and individuals in Australia. Instruction ranged from basic military training to advanced terrorist techniques.

Two suspects named in the report, David Hicks of Adelaide and Egyptian-born Mamdouh Habib, are being held in the American compound at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

But Australian intelligence said other, unknown, Australians were also likely to have trained in Pakistan or Afghanistan.

Last night's Four Corners report said Jemaah Islamiyah had attacks on Australian in plans to establish a fundamentalist Muslim state embracing Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines island of Mindanao and northern Australia.

"I think that's something that your intelligence people will have to assess," Philippines National Security Adviser Roilo Golz said.

"Suffice to say that the Jemaah Islamiyah's vision of a pan-Islamic state includes parts of northern Australia ... "

Philippines police chief Colonel Rodolfo Mendoza also told Four Corners that Australia was at direct risk of terrorism and assassinations.

"I think that is the intent of these terrorist groups, to continuously execute a plan, and even a small cell can participate," he said.

"If a plan calls for assassination, it must be done."

The warning follows a range of measures announced by Australia, initially in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks but further increased after Bali.

ASIO said its emphasis had changed dramatically towards Islamic extremists. Anti money-laundering agency Austrac's latest report said efforts to block terrorist funding had changed its priorities.

Austrac's new workload includes further measures announced yesterday by Attorney-General Daryl Williams, extended to include, among other additions, al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah.

Williams also said that the gazetting of Jemaah Islamiyah as a terrorist organisation introduced penalties of up to 25 years for anyone belonging to, recruiting, training or helping to fund its operations.

Terrorism in the region is also expected to dominate annual Australia-US ministerial defence talks in Washington today.