Armed officers deployed on Perth trains (Western Australia)

The Australian ^ | 8th July 2005 | Tim Clarke

[naturalman1975]

SECURITY has been increased at Perth's main transport hub in response to the London bombings while police prepare for possible reprisals against the Islamic community.

About 20 Tactical Response Group officers armed with handguns were stationed at Perth's central train station after yesterday's terrorist attacks on London's transport system.

WA's Deputy Police Commissioner Tim Atherton said the response was purely a precautionary measure, and there was no information of an increased terrorism threat in Perth, or any major Australian city.

"This is simply a precaution and a measure of public reassurance," he said.

"There is no indication of any change of the alert level in Australia, it remains at medium but we are seeking to reassure the public that we do have some very good arrangements.

"The main central railway station was our major focus."

Mr Atherton said officers were not armed as they normally would be in order to avoid creating unnecessary alarm.

"But we wanted to create reassurance in the public that we were prepared," he said.

Following a telephone conference of commonwealth and state emergency services this morning, Mr Atherton said he understood similar security measures were in place on interstate transport networks.

The state's security unit was also "looking into" the possibility of reprisal attacks against members of the state's Islamic community.

"The State Protection Unit are looking at the possibility of reprisals, but again we have got no information in that regard at this stage," he said.

Acting Premier Eric Ripper said he had no confirmed reports of any West Australians caught up in the blasts, although he did say WA Attorney General Jim McGinty was in London, and had been staying at a hotel near the Tavistock Square blast.

He was not there at the time of the explosion, and had since contacted government staff.

"So many WA families will have relatives and friends in the UK," Mr Ripper said.

"I sympathise with the anxiety WA families who have those connections must have at the moment.

"This is an outrage, it's disturbing to all of us, and we send our deep sympathies to the people who have been affected."

Mr Ripper said the public should take a "fair and reasonable" attitude to the attacks, saying western culture had no argument with the overwhelming majority of Islamic people.