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Portside on terror alert (Australia)
February 24, 2008
AUSTRALIAN Federal Police are investigating an Indian man who arrived in Brisbane two days ago with alleged terrorist links. The man arrived on a ship at the Port of Brisbane early Friday. Sources told The Sunday Mail that Customs officers alerted the AFP after speaking to crew members of the ship.
"The word terrorist or terrorism was used," an informant said yesterday. A federal police spokeswoman confirmed the investigation. "We are currently undertaking preliminary inquiries at the Port of Brisbane in response to allegations that have been raised with the AFP," she said. The spokeswoman refused to elaborate, saying it was an "operational matter". Customs confirmed a matter was passed on to federal police for investigation, but also refused to comment further.
A spokesman declined to identify the ship. The informant said a crew member had made "serious" allegations against a colleague and because of the nature of those claims, police were called. The Indian man was taken away by AFP officers for questioning around sunrise on Friday.
Excerpted
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23264530-3102,00.html
Australia ping to Oorang’s post #1037:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1963607/posts?page=1037#1037
A TALIBAN warlord behind suicide attacks on British troops has been killed during a daring operation in Afghanistan, it was reported today.
The Special Boat Service ambushed Mullah Abdul Matin as he crossed a desert on a motorbike. He was shot dead by troops from the elite division of the Royal Navy after they were dropped into his path by helicopter. Reports said Matin opened fire with an AK47 rifle, but was shot dead along with two guards – including key Taliban lieutenant Mullah Karim Agha.
Matin, who was in his 40s, was killed on Monday near Gereshk in Helmand Province. Matin had been one of the Coalition's top targets in recent months. He and his followers are believed to be responsible for several suicide bomb attacks on British convoys. His men are thought to have been behind the deaths of Royal Marine Gary Wright, 22, in October 2006, and Sgt Dave Wilkinson, 33, last July, as well as the murders of dozens of Afghan civilians.
http://news.scotsman.com/world/Key-Taliban-warlord-killed-in.3805965.jp
Bangalore engineer with terror designs held
23 Feb 2008
BANGALORE: An electrical engineer who was once employed with a leading US multinational and is an active member of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) has been arrested from Bangalore by police who claim the 32-year-old could hold the key to cracking a dangerous terror web that spanned swathes of India, from UP to Kerala.
A native of a village near Kozhikode, Kerala, Yahya Iyash Kamkutty came to Bangalore eight years ago after completing a bachelor's degree in engineering from one of Kerala's best institutes. While working with GE, he kept in touch with terror suspects Mohammed Asif, Asadullah Abubaker and their associates. The gang held several meetings in north Karnataka and were preparing to strike at key installations in the state, police said.
Yahya's arrest late on Thursday once again points to the increasing use of highly-trained professionals being lured into terror groups which have used sophisticated methods and planning in their attacks. It was from Bangalore that Glasgow bomber Kafeel Ahmed, a PhD scholar in aeronautical engineering and his brother, Sabeel Ahmed, went to UK.
Police said Yahya became more active in SIMI after he lost his job at GE while trying to steal data to set up his own firm. It was another arrested terror suspect, Mohammed Asif, who revealed the name of Yahya and his association with SIMI. Thereafter, the cops, who were investigating recent terror cases in north Karnataka, started questioning Yahya. Finally, on Thursday night, he was arrested.
Police have seized a laptop, hard disc, jihadi material and hundreds of books from Yahya's house. They would be sending the hard disc for decoding information. They are hoping to get his contacts, communication and plans from the email communication. Karnataka sleuths took Yahya to Hubli to produce him before a magistrate because the case is registered there. They plan to take him in their custody and put him through polygraph tests, brain mapping and narcoanalysis.