One Step Forward

Do you remember last year when John Kerry was saying that we should have gone into Iraq with our Allies, instead of going alone?

GW Bush, of course offended, told us about Australia, among others.

Australia? Some thought, Big Deal.

But Australia did bring us Mad Max, and even after Mel Gibson came to America, softened up, and did chick flicks, you must remember what a bad-ass he was in Australia as Mad Max.

Anyway...

Australia says major terror attack foiled as Muslim cleric charged

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian police said they foiled a "large-scale terrorist attack" and charged a radical Islamic cleric with leading a terrorist group after raids in which a suspected militant was shot and wounded and 15 others arrested.

The raids in Melbourne and Sydney involving more than 450 heavily-armed officers backed by helicopters came less than a week after Prime Minister John Howard said he had credible information an attack was being planned.

Prosecutors said chemicals seized in the raids were similar to those used in deadly July bombings on London's transport system. They said the suspects were committed to holy war, prepared to kill Australians and had discussed mounting suicide bombings.

"I am satisfied that we have disrupted what I would regard as the final stages of a large-scale terrorist attack, or the launch of a terrorist attack, in Australia," said New South Wales police commissioner Ken Moroney.

Police arrested seven people in Sydney and nine in Melbourne as they swooped on more than 20 homes in the country's largest counter-terrorist action after a 16-month investigation.

One of the Sydney suspects was shot in the neck and critically wounded after he fired at police who ordered him to stop as he walked along a suburban street, police said.

Among those arrested in Melbourne was Algerian-born cleric Abu Bakr. Prosecutors said he was the leader of both the Sydney and Melbourne groups, which were "committed to the cause of violent jihad" or holy war.

The cleric, 45, who has previously praised Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden as "a great man", was charged with directing activities of a "terrorist organisation" while the other Melbourne suspects were charged with membership of the organisation.

Prosecutors allege one of the men, named in court as Abdul Amahi, discussed becoming a suicide bomber because he wanted revenge on "infidels" for the war in Iraq, where Australia has sent troops.

The Sydney suspects were charged with preparing to manufacture explosives in preparation for a terrorist act. All those charged in both cities were refused bail.

The authorities did not detail any targets selected by the group but have said in recent months that suspects had carried out surveillance on the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, railway stations and the Melbourne stock exchange.

Victoria state police commissioner Christine Nixon said the alleged plot did not involve next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

New South Wales police chief Moroney said investigations into the arrested men's associates were ongoing, while federal police said they were examining computers seized during the raids for any evidence of links to international militant groups.

The arrests came days after the government passed an urgent amendment to anti-terrorism laws making it easier for police to prosecute suspects involved in the early stages of planning attacks.

The amendment was passed in response to Howard's warning of a credible threat of attack, which critics had suggested was scaremongering to distract attention from his conservative government's political problems.

Howard, a close ally of US President George W. Bush who contributed troops to the invasions of both Afghanistan and Iraq, said Tuesday he would never exploit security issues for his own political ends.

"When it comes to the safety of the Australian people and the security of this country, there is no room for political manipulation," he told reporters.

Australia has not been attacked on its own soil in recent years but Australian interests have been targeted elsewhere.

A suicide bomber hit the Australian embassy in Jakarta last year, and dozens of Australians were killed in attacks on the Indonesian resort island of Bali in 2002 and earlier this year.

That is a big step forward by one of our Allies on the fight on terror.

Way to go Australia!

Too bad France is not so vigilant.

Prime Minister John Howard said something very important, and every world leader, including The US Congress, should take note...

The arrests came days after the government passed an urgent amendment to anti-terrorism laws making it easier for police to prosecute suspects involved in the early stages of planning attacks.

The amendment was passed in response to Howard's warning of a credible threat of attack, which critics had suggested was scaremongering to distract attention from his conservative government's political problems.

Howard, a close ally of US President George W. Bush who contributed troops to the invasions of both Afghanistan and Iraq, said Tuesday he would never exploit security issues for his own political ends.

"When it comes to the safety of the Australian people and the security of this country, there is no room for political manipulation," he told reporters.