Posted on 11/28/2002 4:01:18 PM PST by knighthawk
PRIME Minister John Howard will remain "on call" during his summer holidays, but has refused to speculate on the prospect of a Christmas terror offensive.
Australia has been placed on heightened security alert after general warnings of possible terrorist action, and the Australian embassy in the Philippines was closed this week after a specific threat against it.
Today, Mr Howard said he hoped there would not be a Christmas terror offensive, but refused to comment further on the chances of an attack.
"I'm not going to indulge in chance and random predictions, I don't want to depress people," he told Melbourne radio 3AW.
Mr Howard said he would spend his summer holidays in Sydney, watching the cricket and catching up on reading, while Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson and Treasurer Peter Costello fill in.
"But I will be around and in touch and if needed, back on the job straight away.
"If anything at all occurs that requires my being back on the job I will be, within minutes."
He said the Government would not hesitate to shut down any other Australian embassies if it received threats against them, but stressed there was no evidence for action at the moment.
Mr Howard said the mood in Australia had become more apprehensive over the past few weeks but he hoped it would not interfere with people's enjoyment of Christmas and the summer holidays.
And he predicted one side-effect would be an increased turnout to celebrate Australia Day on January 26.
"I predict now that Australia Day next year will be more strongly supported and will involve more Australians in all sorts of events and as an expression of Australian nationalism than any Australia Day in recent memory."
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