Australian PM defends anti-terror laws

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said "I don't like having to introduce these laws".

SYDNEY - Australian Prime Minister John Howard says he did not want to introduce tough new anti-terror laws but he felt them necessary to combat the threat of an attack in Australia.

Mr Howard yesterday won backing for tough new police powers after agreeing to state and territory demands for a review after five years and a 10-year use-by-date.

Under the laws, police will be able to detain suspects as young as 16 for up to 14 days without charge and control their movements through court orders.

Police will also be given stronger powers to stop and search people in transport hubs and mass gatherings such as sporting events and rallies.

Mr Howard today told Macquarie Radio that he could not guarantee the laws would prevent an attack, but they would go some way to making Australia a safer country.

"I don't want to sound alarmist and I never want to overstate something to the Australian public, but there is a risk," Mr Howard said.

"We are not as exposed as other countries but it can happen here.

Mr Howard said terrorists fought a borderless war and different tactics were needed to combat their methods.

"I don't like having to introduce these laws," he said.

"I wish we didn't live in that age, but I have believed for a long time that this is a threat and it's going to be with us for some years, I can't put an end date on it."

He said the terrorist bombings in London in July were a wake-up call that terrorists could be living undetected within society.

- AAP