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Terror suspect in Australia frequently
By CNN's Grant Holloway
SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Indonesian terror suspect Abu Bakar Ba'asyir was a frequent visitor to Australia during the 1990s, often travelling there under an assumed name, it has been revealed. Prime Minister John Howard confirmed Sunday Ba'asyir came to Australia three times recently, but said he had no information suggesting the Indonesian cleric was plotting terror attacks in Australia. The revelation comes as Southeast Asian intelligence officials tell CNN they believe Jemaah Islamiya (JI) has set up terror cells in Australia. Howard last week named Ba'asyir and JI as possible suspects in the bombing of nightclubs in Bali which killed around 180 people, most of them young Australian tourists. Ba'asyir, 64, was arrested Saturday by Indonesian police for questioning over a series of church bombings in December 2000, but has been in hospital since Friday with cardiac and breathing problems. He is under guard at the main hospital in his home town of Solo, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Jakarta. The hospital is also surrounded by about 100 of Ba'asyir's supporters with some fearing violent scenes if police attempt to remove him. Australia's Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, earlier told media Ba'asyir had entered Australia "on a fairly significant number" of occasions during the 1990s, usually under an assumed identity. Howard told Channel 9's Sunday Program Ba'asyir may have visited Australia to make contact with people with like-minded religious views, but he could not be certain of that. He said he had not been given any information suggesting anybody had been plotting a terror attack within Australia, however. "But that doesn't mean to say that there aren't possibly people who could have the will, or might over time develop the capacity to do that," Howard said. "And that is obviously something to which all of our authorities are furiously turning their attention now." According to CNN sources, JI cells have already been set up in Australia, but it is unclear whether those cells are for logistical support or if they are operational. Mantiqi 4
CNN has sighted documents naming a JI cell, called Mantiqi 4, being established to cover the Indonesian province of West Papua and Australia. Australian counter-intelligence officials say they are investigating the possibility that JI operatives have set up in Australia. Howard said Australia did not have a network of terrorist groups such as in Indonesia but he could not guarantee a terror attack would not happen on Australian soil. "In fact it could and that has been the case now for some time and the possibility of it has clearly been heightened," he said. "But perhaps by the same token I don't want to suggest that the possibility or the likelihood is nearly as great as exists in other countries." 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. Australians targetedIntelligence sources say they believe the nightclub involved in the Bali blasts was chosen because of the predominance of Australians among its clientele. Al Qaeda expert Rohan Gunaratna has also said militant Islamic groups were gathering momentum across the region with covert support cells already operating in Australia. 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 of its popularity with Australians. The Australian government last week upgraded it warning to Australians in Indonesia and recommended anybody not on essential business should consider leaving immediately. 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. Howard, meanwhile, said he was considering a proposal to set up a U.S.-styled "homeland security" department which would bring together defense, police and intelligence agencies under the one structure. But the prime minister also said he was wary of establishing a fresh bureaucracy without good evidence it would create a more efficient security set-up. -- CNN's Maria Ressa contributed to this report
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