Posted on 07/02/2002 1:39:51 PM PDT by knighthawk
AN al-Qaeda terrorist cell has been discovered in Australia. Former New South Wales police commissioner Peter Ryan yesterday revealed its existence and said it was likely there were others.
He told the Herald Sun two Australian-based members of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network were identified after an Algerian man was stopped on the US-Canadian border in an explosives-filled car. Mr Ryan said he had to presume the two political refugees were not the only al-Qaeda members in Australia.
"We would be very, very foolish to think that there wasn't any here, or any more such people here," he said.
The student visas of the two men, of Middle Eastern origin, were withdrawn. They were discovered in Sydney just before the 2000 Olympics.
"It was recommended that they ought to leave," Mr Ryan said. "We didn't drag them to the airport, put them on a plane and throw them out.
"They were spoken to and they left. But, of course, they could come back under other passports, false names."
The suspected Algerian bomber stopped by Canadian Customs officials had the Australians' names and addresses among a list in his pocket.
"His car was found to be packed with explosives," Mr Ryan says in his new biography, Peter Ryan -- the Inside Story. "He was traced back to a terrorist cell connected with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist organisation operating out of Jordan."
Mr Ryan yesterday revealed intelligence suggested the two men identified as a result of the Algerian's arrest were placed in Australia awaiting orders.
"It really is quite alarming when you think of the changing face and nature of terrorism and how it has moved to these individuals and groups who are scattered about loosely belonging to an organisation like al-Qaeda," he said.
"They probably don't even know who they work for, but they will accept the orders and that is really of great concern to us."
In a wide-ranging interview, Mr Ryan also said:
CORRUPTION allegations against some Victorian drug squad detectives could be the tip of the iceberg and were warning bells that should be heeded.
IT WAS inevitable police corruption would be discovered in Victoria if the state followed Queensland, NSW and Western Australia by having a royal commission into its force.
THE Russian mafia was an increasing problem in Australia and controlled some banks in Pacific Island countries.
CUSTOMS officers needed much improved technology and a far bigger budget if they were to stem the flow of drugs coming into Australia.
EVERY person in Australia should be DNA tested and their DNA stored on a secure government database as a means of cracking down on the nation's $4 billion a year identity fraud crisis.
MAJORITY verdicts should be allowed in criminal trials.
THE accused's right to remain silent during trials should be removed.
Mr Ryan said it had become apparent since the September 11 terrorist attacks on America that al-Qaeda was large and complex, with cells all over the world.
He said intelligence agencies had been able to trace links from the two overseas students -- identified here after the arrest in Canada -- right back to al-Qaeda.
"They were in this country as immigrants, but on student visas, as semi-political refugees," Mr Ryan said.
"They were supposed to be penniless, with no visible means of support, and yet they had made numerous return trips to Middle Eastern countries. Not just one country, but several.
"Now, how many more of those sorts of people are there scattered around either in this country or other countries?
"When you can trace back, as we did on this particular case, the connections that these individuals have with others and trace it back as far as you can through all the other world intelligence agencies, you suddenly find a lot of this homes back into the al-Qaeda network."
Why not!?!?!???
Pakistan:Virgin gang-raped publicly for revenge-compensation
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