Second Aust. al Qaeda suspect named

Legal action has begun to bring al Qaeda suspect David Hicks back to Australia

SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- A missing former soldier has been identified as the second Australian suspected of fighting for al Qaeda or Taliban forces in Afghanistan.

Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper on Wednesday named 25-year-old Matthew Stewart, from Queensland state, as the man officials fear has been fighting for al Qaeda.

Another Australian, David Hicks, was captured by Northern Alliance forces in December last year and is currently being held by the U.S. military in a prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

At the time of Hicks' capture, Australia's Attorney-General's Department said it was aware of two further Australians, probably in Afghanistan, who were believed to have received training in al Qaeda terrorist camps.

One of those men is now believed to be Stewart, a former soldier who was one of the first Australians to be sent to East Timor in 1999 as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force.

CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

He is reported to have left the Army two years ago after suffering from psychological problems, possibly triggered by his experiences in East Timor.

A spokesman from Stewart's family said Wednesday they had no reason to believe the man had any links with al Qaeda.

"The family has absolutely no knowledge of any of that," the spokesman told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it has asked its embassies in Tehran, Islamabad and Moscow to help locate Stewart.

Stewart is believed to have entered Afghanistan from Iran on or about August 8 last year.

Yet to be charged

His family had contacted the Australian government in December because they were concerned for his welfare.

A third Australian is also believed to be fighting in Afghanistan for al Qaeda but his whereabouts are still unknown.

The case of David Hicks has become a cause celebre in Australia, with legal action now underway to secure his right to a trial in an Australian court.

Hicks, who has been held in Camp X-Ray since December, has yet to be charged or receive any legal counsel.

This contrasts with alleged U.S. Taliban fighter David Walker who has been shipped to U.S. soil and is currently being tried in a U.S. court.

No casualties

Australia has sent 150 Special Air Services troops to Afghanistan

The Australian Government however, appears unperturbed by Hicks's situation and is content for the U.S. military to make a decision on Hicks' fate in their own time.

The news of Stewart comes as the Department of Defense confirms Australian troops are heavily involved in the current Operation Anaconda fighting in Afghanistan.

Australia's Brigadier Paul Retter told media Australian troops for Operation Anaconda were "in a position where they may be required to actively engage with the enemy".

"This operation is well within the types of roles and tasks that we would expect our Special Forces to be involved in," he said.

Defense officials said there had been no Australian casualties to date.

Australia has sent 150 Special Air Services troops to Afghanistan as well as fighter aircraft, support aircraft and naval vessels.