Posted on 11/06/2004 9:08:53 PM PST by naturalman1975
The federal government has moved to re-list four terrorist organisations and warns that Jemaah Islamiah (JI) may step up its terror campaign with nuclear weapons.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said any organisation that targeted innocent people, such as JI had in the Bali bombings, was capable of using nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction to further their campaign.
He made the comments as Labor said the newly re-elected Bush administration had to re-focus on key terrorism battles in Afghanistan and South East Asia.
Australia will on Monday host an Asia-Pacific nuclear security conference with representatives from across the region and including the director-general of the International Atomic Agency to discuss ways of safeguarding nuclear material.
Iran's nuclear program, and the threat posed by terrorist organisations, will also be up for discussion.
Mr Downer said although there was no evidence as yet, it was clear JI would stop at nothing to advance its terrorist agenda.
That would include the use of nuclear weapons.
"There's absolutely no doubt that terrorists, or at least some terrorists, are endeavouring to get hold of nuclear materials as well as other forms of weapons of mass destruction," he told the Seven Network.
"Obviously, any organisation that is prepared to wipe people out, young people enjoying themselves, wipe them out in Bali, is an organisation that wouldn't stop short of using at least some sort of more vicious and more dangerous weapons.
"I think in the interests of the region and the interest of humanity we need to make a very big effort to stop the proliferation of these systems."
Mr Downer said the United States had already done a great deal in the Asia-Pacific region to target terrorism, particularly in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.
But opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said there was still scope for the US to lift its efforts.
"We intend to work as constructively and positively with this new administration as possible, not just of course on the great question of Iraq, but also the forgotten theatres of Afghanistan and also here, where we face a continuing real threat of terrorism in South-East Asia," he told the Ten network.
Meanwhile, four groups that were listed as terrorist organisations two years ago will be re-listed.
The Abu Sayyaf Group, Armed Islamic Group, Salafist Group for Call and Combat, and Jamiat ul-Ansar (formerly known as Harakat ul-Mujahideen) were all listed as terror organisations in November 2002.
Under federal law, those listings would automatically cease after two years if not re-listed.
"The government has decided to re-list all four groups as I continue to be satisfied on reasonable grounds that they are directly or indirectly engaged in, preparing, planning, assisting in or fostering the doing of a terrorist act," Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said in a statement.
And why does Labor think the newly re-elected Bush administration has any interest in what they think it should do?
As an Australian, I swear Labor's attitude drives me insane. They constantly direct abuse and negative comment towards our most important ally - and then they act as if they expect it to listen to them?
I hope the US will always listen to and consider Australian opinions - because that's part of any alliance - but, Labor has to seriously do some rebuilding just in case it is in power in three years time. Now is not the time to be trying to tell the Bush administration what to do. Now is the time for Labor to shut up, support the government and prove to Australians they can be responsible.
I'm torn, I have to say. As a conservative I wouldn't care if Labor was never in power again, and so on that level I love seeing them be so stupid. But as an Australian, our opposition party, our alternative government has to be credible, or we're face very serious trouble.
Did anyone ever actually doubt that the Islamic terrorists would use nukes if they got their hands on some?
Ping
The left.
IMHO, such veiled threats are probably worthy capital punishment, simply because there is very real harm being committed by other powers, even if the terrorist is impotent to commit that act.
"This also creates another plausible scenario,...a nuclear power seeking to eliminate an enemy target could easily pawn it off as the action of an equally enemy terrorist group. Not a good situation."
Bill Gertz in his recent book Treachery reveals China's extensive supplying of nuclear know-how and nuclear materials to several radical countries(Lybia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, etc...) was not just for money, but was a way of DE-stabilizing countries which would thereby be a problem for China's perceived enemies especially the US.
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