Posted on 10/27/2003 8:01:31 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
CANBERRA, Australia, Oct 27, 2003 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Australian anti-terror police were on high alert Monday after learning of activities of a deported French man with al-Qaida connections, the BBC reported.
Bob Carr, premier of New South Wales state, described the man, Willie Virgile Brigitte, as a "serious character whose presence here was worrying."
Raids were conducted on a number of houses in south-western Sydney Sunday and six people were interviewed about Brigitte, who spent five months in Australia before being deported Oct. 17.
Brigitte is still in France, where he is being held on terror-related charges. The French government notified Australian authorities Brigitte was under orders to "give shelter to an expert in explosives," Attorney General Philip Ruddock told Australian Broadcasting Radio Corp.
French officials told the Australian government Brigitte had spent months in al-Qaida training camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Australian Justice Minister Chris Ellison said warrants had been used against people connected to Brigitte and investigations were continuing.
Go get 'em, mates.
The French government notified Australian authorities Brigitte was under orders to "give shelter to an expert in explosives,"
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