Network plotting despite arrests: envoy Al-Qaeda sized up targets in Australia before the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, new intelligence suggests. Also yesterday, it emerged that an Australian with alleged terrorist links was arrested in Egypt. The Prime Minister, John Howard, told Parliament yesterday that new information from ASIO had come to light “very recently” that al-Qaeda explored possible targets in Australia in 2000 or 2001. Government sources said the intelligence, believed to be from an interrogation, did not relate to an attack during the Olympics, or detail a target or time. Nor did it indicate a plan for a specific al-Qaeda attack in Australia or any other group that would warrant an upgrade in the “medium” threat level. But Mr Howard said Australia was in terrorists’ sights well before the Iraq war, which Labor argues has lifted Australia’s status as a target. Full Story
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