Author: Maria Ressa
Publication: CNN News
Date: October 20, 2002
URL: http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/20/australia.terror.warn/index.html
The Islamic group suspected of involvement
in last weekend's deadly bombing of a nightclub in Bali is believed to
have set up cells inside Australia, Southeast Asian intelligence officials
have told CNN.
The group is Jemaah Islamiyah (JI)
whose suspected leader, radical Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, was
arrested by Indonesian authorities Saturday.
However, the sources say it is unclear
whether the JI cells thought to have been set up inside Australia itself
cells are for logistical support or if they are operational.
Australian counter-intelligence
officials say they are investigating the possibility that JI operatives
have set up in Australia.
According to sources JI has strong
links with Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network and is believed to have been
responsible for at least three previous attacks targeting Australians in
the region.
Intelligence sources say they believe
the nightclub involved in last weekend's blasts was chosen because of the
predominance of Australians among its clientele.
Although he has been placed under
arrest, Ba'asyir -- the JI's suspected leader -- has not been linked to
the Bali blasts, despite authorities' suspicions that his group is linked
to the attack.
However, he has been linked to a
string of bomb attacks in Jakarta, including a series of deadly church
bombings across Indonesia that killed at least 16 and injured nearly 50
others on Christmas Eve in 2000.
Australians targeted
According to intelligence sources
the Bali blast, which killed more that 180 people -- mostly Australians
-- was the third time in the past year that Australians were targeted by
terrorists linked to JI.
In November of last year, a grenade
was hurled at the Australian International School in Jakarta. No one was
injured.
About a month later, Singapore officials
uncovered a plot against the Australian High Commission in Singapore, part
of a larger plot to bomb other Western targets including the U.S. Embassy.
The security experts believe the
al-Qaeda- linked group evaluates its targets thoroughly, suggesting that
they picked the Sari's nightclub in Bali because of its predominance of
not just foreigners but also because it is frequented by Australians.
Australia has taken a visibly strong
role in the U.S.-led war on terror and is also a fairly easy target because
of its proximity to Southeast Asian nations, according to intelligence
officials.
Australia currently has more than
1,500 armed forces, as well as fighter aircraft and support craft involved
in the Afghanistan campaign.
Speaking Sunday as his country held
a national day of mourning Australian Prime Minister John Howard re-affirmed
his nation's commitment to the war on terrorism.
