Aussies at risk of terror act

2004-08-31 13:58

Sydney - A former United States presidential adviser has warned Australia is at increased risk of a Spanish-style attack ahead of the October 9 election, citing the opposition's plan to withdraw troops from Iraq.

Drawing a parallel with Spain's March election, won by the anti-war Socialists after the Madrid train bombings, Richard Clarke said the opposition Labour Party's commitment to withdrawing Australian troops from Iraq could encourage al-Qaeda or its offshoots.

That was more likely than an attack in the United States ahead of the US election in November, Clarke said, noting an Islamist threat to detonate car bombs in Australia unless Canberra pulled its troops out of Iraq.

"Australia is a bit more like the Spanish case, where you do have one party saying get out and another party staying the course, and the party in power is the one wanting to stay the course," Clarke told national television late on Monday.

"The possibility remains of a terrorist attack"

"That's much closer to the situation that we saw in Spain and so you could understand how al-Qaeda or some terrorist group related to al-Qaeda might think it could affect the outcome.

"It opens the possibility of some terrorist group related to al-Qaeda wanting to do something which otherwise wouldn't be the case in the Australian election.

"So oddly enough, I'm saying I don't think al-Qaeda will try to affect the US election, but because the Australian election is so similar to what happened in Spain, I would think the possibility does exist there."

The shadow of terrorism has hung over the campaign since the election was announced on Sunday.

Treasurer Peter Costello has also warned that Australia could be at heightened risk of an attack during the campaign, also referring to Spain, where 191 people were killed in the train bombings.

Prime Minister John Howard said Tuesday there were no indications an attack was planned, but he pointedly refused to rule one out.

"Our advice has not changed," he told national radio. "The possibility remains of a terrorist attack. I've not received any information which would heighten that concern, I want to emphasise that. And like every other Australian, I hope and pray nothing happens."

He promised to tell opposition leader Mark Latham and the public if a major threat were detected.

"What I promise the Australian people is two things. Firstly, if there is any hard information that they should have, I will make it available and I will communicate it at the same time to the leader of the opposition," he said.

"If necessary, I will talk to him in the caretaker period so that he is apprised of it as I am."

Clarke, a former adviser to President George Bush and several other presidents, quit the White House in January last year, criticising Bush for failing to handle the terrorist threat. - AFP

- SAPA