The plot thickens

This from Australia's ABC radio news: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200511/s1499988.htm

"The police chiefs of New South Wales and Victoria say overnight raids have foiled a terrorist plot.

Fifteen people have been arrested in raids conducted by more than 400 police on a number of suburbs in Sydney and Melbourne.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Ken Moroney says a terrorist attack has been foiled.

"I am satisfied that we have disrupted what I would regard as the final stages of a terrorist attack or the launch of a terrorist attack in Australia," he said.

"We will continue our investigations both at a Commonwealth and state level to identify those that may be related to those persons now under investigation."

Victoria's Police Commissioner, Christine Nixon, agrees that police have prevented a major terrorist attack from occurring.

"We believe that they were planning an operation," she said.

"We weren't exactly sure when nor, more importantly, what they planned to damage or do harm to."

"A man has been shot during what is believed to have been a counter-terrorism raid at Green Valley in Sydney's south-west." http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200511/s1499986.htm

This from Melbourne's The Age:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/terrorist-attack-disrupted/2005/11/08/1131212027799.html

"Victorian Premier Steve Bracks believes police have disrupted probably the most serious preparation for a terrorist attack ever in Australia.

Reports a group of men were stockpiling chemicals to carry out a terrorist attack led to the co-ordinated raids in Sydney and Melbourne overnight, in which 15 people were arrested."

And this related/unrelated item in the Sydney Morning Herald:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/security-risk-cited-as-imam-ordered-out/2005/11/07/1131212008761.html

"An Iranian-born imam who has lived in Australia for more than a decade will be deported after the Federal Court upheld ASIO's finding that he was a risk to national security.

Sheik Mansour Leghaei is a prominent Shiite cleric, father of four and convenor of the Imam Hussein Islamic Centre in Sydney who has been under ASIO surveillance virtually since he arrived in Australia.

Justice Rodney Madgwick reserved the reasons for his decision but earlier documents filed with the court said ASIO believed that Sheik Leghaei had engaged in "acts of foreign interference", essentially spying for a foreign government.

Sheik Leghaei's links with the Iranian Government, his ties to the radical Islamic group Ahlul-Bait and the source of his funding had been of concern to the domestic security agency ever since authorities photocopied an exercise book he brought into the country in 1996.

ASIO said it contained excerpts from a a publication called Jihad and Islam which discussed a holy war to be fought with infidels, those who do not accept the Koran, and others who insulted Islam. ASIO also said it contained tips on how to conduct intelligence operations, including observations that spies had to be "devout", "sharply intelligent" and have a "very strong sixth sense".

The spy agency - which is charged with counter-espionage responsibilities - was concerned Sheik Leghaei was monitoring Iranian dissidents on behalf of the hardline regime in Tehran.

Sheik Leghaei could not be contacted yesterday and his legal representatives were instructed not to speak to the media, but the cleric had earlier told reporters that the translation of the material was wrong and he was the victim of a vendetta from a "paranoid" ASIO.

He argued the exercise book referred to Iraq's attempted invasion of Iran in the mid-1980s. His legal counsel argued unsuccessfully that ASIO's assessment should be rendered void because it lacked procedural fairness."

There is speculation all over the airwaves and other spheres whether this is really interdiction of an operation or merely interception of associates and whether any of the new terror laws are or might be required to take this action. The police seem to indicate that this operation was a long time in the planning, surveilance and coming and not reliant on the new terror laws, so if it is successful, you have to wonder what the need is of the heightened lockdown the new laws allow. It would make all of Howard's fearmongering seem downright redundant.

If these really are bad guys who were intent on carrying out mayhem and murder, I am happy and content they have been caught and will face the justice of open criminal courts. It would prove both the effectiveness of the existent police laws and powers and the judicial system. And get some scum off the street.

But all of that - and more - remains to be seen.