Free Republic

THE threat of home-grown terrorism has intensified in the past six years, according to the long-awaited national security blueprint to be released on Tuesday. The Counter-Terrorism White Paper finds there has been an increase in the threat from people "born or raised" in Australia who have been influenced by a violent jihadist message. The Rudd Government today will reveal new plans to stop terrorists coming into Australia with a $69 million scheme to force many visitors to give fingerprints and facial scans before getting a visa. The White Paper, to be unveiled by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, was to be...

<p>SYDNEY, Australia — A man shouting threats used a sharpened wooden instrument to try to force his way into the cockpit of a domestic Qantas (search) flight Thursday, stabbing two flight attendants in his attempt, the government said.</p> <p>The plane had departed the southeastern city of Melbourne (search) for the southern island of Tasmania when he tried to storm the cockpit, Transport Minister John Anderson told reporters in a hastily arranged press briefing.</p>