Homeland Security

DATE=4/28/2004

TYPE=ENGLISH PROGRAMS REPORT

TITLE= Australia Terrorism

NUMBER=4-0197

BYLINE= Rebecca Ward

PHONE=203-4262

DATELINE=

ENGLISH PROGRAMS REPORT

Inserts are available in Dalet - SOD/English News Now/Updates

INTRO: Australia's government is preparing to ban the radical Palestinian group Islamic Jihad under the country's anti-terror laws. The premier of Australia's New South Wales province, Bob Carr, confirmed the proposal, saying he would endorse the banning of Islamic Jihad, which has carried out many suicide bombings against Israel.

TEXT: Under Australia's counter-terror laws, anyone found to belong to, train with or recruit members for a banned terrorist group will face up to 25 years in prison. Ross Babbage is the head of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at Australia National University in Canberra. He says Canberra has banned all of the groups identified as terrorist organizations by the United Nations - as well as some that have been identified by its own intelligence or that of its allies.

///Babbage Act One///

This is a very unusual sort of thing to do, but it's analogous more to wartime situation and banning any political activity. Normally Australian governments have been very reticent to ban any political movement. But this is not a political movement, this is a violent, these are violent groups and the Australian government - with opposition support, opposition party support - has taken a very firm stance on these issues.

///END ACT///

Professor Babbage says the real effect of the bans is as a deterrence against terrorist groups using Australia for any of their operations. However, he says Australia has made some arrests of suspected terrorists.

///Babbage Act Two///

Just in the last few days there have been a couple of people arrested in Sydney. And I think there are likely to be, my understanding and there are indications from a range of sources that there may well be further arrests of people who are going to be charged with preparing for terrorist activities in fact in the Sydney area.

///END ACT///

Professor Babbage goes on to say that it appears the suspected terrorists may have been planning to attack Sydney's electricity grid with explosives.

VNN/rw/wh