Al-Qaeda terror suspect deported [extradited from Australia to France]

ASIO and federal and state police have launched a series of raids after French warnings of an alleged terrorist plot in Australia.

Search warrants were executed in Sydney yesterday following the expulsion of French national Willie Virgile Brigitte nine days ago and 18 days after French police first warned Australian authorities of his presence in the country.

Mr Brigitte, who had been in Australia for six months, had allegedly had terrorist training in Afghanistan or Pakistan. He is being held in Paris for suspected terrorism-related offences and connections to al-Qaeda.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the warrants were issued under the ASIO Act and related to national security.

"Investigations in both Australia and France are continuing," Mr Ruddock said. "While the man lived in Sydney during his time in Australia, the precise reason for his presence remains unclear at this stage."

Police and ASIO had been hunting Mr Brigitte since a notification from French counter-terrorism supremo Jean-Louis Bruguiere on September 22 that he might have entered Australia.

In October the French increased their warning. "French authorities provided further information about Mr Brigitte on October 7 and expressed concerns that he might have been in Australia in connection with terrorism-related activity," Mr Ruddock said.

Mr Brigitte was arrested and placed in immigration detention on October 9. After extensive questioning, he was returned to France on October 17.

It is believed Australian intelligence officers interviewed Mr Brigitte while he was being held at Sydney's Villawood Detention Centre before he was flown back to France.

A spokesman for Mr Ruddock defended the time it took for Australian authorities to track down Mr Brigitte after the initial French warning.

"Given that this was a tourist visa and so he didn't have to list his whereabouts, it takes some time to find one person among 20 million," he said.

Mr Ruddock's spokesman said Mr Brigitte had not been on any terror warning list until the contact by French authorities on September 22.

Mr Brigitte, who is in his mid-30s, entered Australia in May on a tourist visa and was returned as a result of breaching the conditions of his visa. He lived in Sydney and is believed to have been in contact with members of Australia's Islamic community who are also of interest to authorities.

Yesterday's search warrants were for the purposes of gathering information and six properties were entered. The operation, which involved searches and seizure of material from premises, property and vehicles, was conducted by ASIO, Federal Police and NSW counter-terrorism officers. No clues were found of any planned attacks. No arrests were made.

More details:

Cooperation led to arrest: Carr

October 27, 2003

High level cooperation between state, federal and French authorities led to the arrest of a Frenchman suspected of planning terror-related activities, NSW Premier Bob Carr said today.

Australian authorities are continuing their investigations into Willie Virgile Brigitte, 35, who arrived in Australia in May this year on a tourist visa.

On September 22, French authorities warned Australian authorities that Brigitte was thought to have trained with terror groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

On October 7, while Australian authorities were still looking for him, the French warned that he may have been in Australia to plan terror-related activities.

He was arrested for breaching his visa on October 9, and sent back to France eight days later where he is facing terror-related charges.

"I found it immensely reassuring that first of all there has been very sophisticated intelligence done on this bloke, a great deal of surveillance," Mr Carr told Sydney radio 2UE today.

"(And) Second, that there's been such a high level of cooperation between our state police and federal agencies including ASIO, and in turn between them and the French police.

"That level of cooperation, people working as if they were all wearing the same uniform ... I found immensely reassuring."

Mr Carr said even though the French took several months to warn Australian authorities Brigitte was here, "it was very welcome news when it came".

"It was based on the associations this bloke had in France and also on the training he had in both Pakistan and Afghanistan in camps where it can be ... confirmed that he learnt about explosives...

"So the intelligence was good, the surveillance was good and ... the one front line defence we've got in all of this is good intelligence given that terrorists are targeting not the obvious targets - the big pieces of infrastructure - (but) the soft targets - office buildings, nightclubs, hotels."

- AAP

This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/10/27/1067103301933.html

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