[ so i'm bored tonight.. and thought i'd start compiling media coverage that has conflicting reports, or just plain idiots at the helm - Silvio ] 26th OCTOBER 2002 www.news.com.au www.cnn.com BALI ---- http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/25/thailand.terror.ap/index.html The warning came as the nation's domestic spy agency, the Australian Security and Intelligence Organization, cautioned in its annual report to Parliament that the risk of a terrorist attack in Australia against Western interests had increased because of the government's involvement in the war against terrorism. http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5358222%255E23590,00.html THE domestic spy agency ASIO was keeping a close eye on Australians suspected of training with terrorist organisations, Attorney-General Daryl Williams has said. Mr Williams said today ASIO had for some years reported that overseas terrorist organisations had supporters in Australia. Some had actually trained with the al-Qaeda network in Afghanistan or Pakistan, he said. But there was no known specific threat to Australia or Australians, Mr Williams said. ^^ "ASIO has known for some time that there are people in Australia who have trained in Afghanistan or Pakistan with al-Qaeda," he said. "These are facts. "ASIO endeavours to monitor the activities of anybody in those sorts of categories. "ASIO has repeatedly reported that there is no known specific threat of a terrorist act within Australia. ^^ [ ERM. so is Australia being targetted because of our "involvement in the war against terrorism" ? ] http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5363032%255E421,00.html Mr Howard said he had no evidence that the Bali attack was directly targeted at Australians. He said it was aimed both at westerners in general, and the destabilisation of Indonesia. RUSSIA ------ [ this one should sort itself out in the coming days I imagine, in terms of later press meetings ] http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5364854%255E1702,00.html October 26, 2002 NONE of the gunmen who held hostages in a Moscow theatre escaped when special forces stormed the building today to end the crisis, Federal Security Service director Nikolai Patrushev said. Itar-Tass news agency reported that Patrushev made the statement in a http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/10/26/moscow.standoff/index.html MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Sixty-seven hostages died during an operation to free hundreds of captives held by Chechen rebels in a Moscow theatre and two hostage-takers remain at large, Russian officials have said. [ skip ] "We are grieving with those close to the 67 hostages who were lost. We couldn't save them... We saved more than 750 people," Vasilyev said outside the theatre, adding that there were no children among the dead. But he said: "Two of the terrorists escaped and we are combing the territory. They are hiding themselves in houses. [ so.. someone's got it wrong i guess? ] THEY BOTH AGREE ON THIS ----------------------- http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5366246%255E1702,00.html 67 hostages killed: Russian minister From correspondents in Moscow October 26, 2002 DEPUTY Interior Minister Vladimir Vasilyev said 67 hostages had been killed in the Moscow theatre crisis. [ this was from a seperate story.. might be that officials were eager to make an early press statement? ] NOT ON CNN ---------- [ i just saw this seconds ago.. pretty bizzare to show up ] http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5362280%255E401,00.html Iran rejects US role in Iraq By Stephen Farrell and Roger Matthews in Tehran October 26, 2002 IRAN told Washington yesterday that it would not accept any US attempt to impose military rule on Iraq if Saddam Hussein were toppled from power. Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi condemned leaked proposals to install a US general at the head of an interim post-Hussein administration as unwarranted neo-colonialism. He warned such an administration could lead to more bloodshed. But Mr Kharrazi, a key member of President Mohammad Khatami's Government, gave the strongest indication yet that, while Tehran remained opposed to military action, it would agree if it were backed by the UN. "If it happens that the Iraqi people choose a new government, that is up to them, but a military ruler from outside will certainly not be welcomed by the Iraqi people and none of the governments in this region," he said yesterday. Iran would like to see the removal of Mr Hussein, who used chemical weapons on Iranians during the Iran-Iraq war, but Mr Kharrazi said an overthrow by external forces was not justified. FUNNY ----- http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5357605%255E421,00.html The group's Jane Hammond said clubs and tourist destinations would become the target of terrorist bombings, similar to the recent attack on Australians in Bali. "If we are swarming with US marines, we will become a terrorist target, and where they (US defence personnel) will hang out is where the bombers will concentrate," she said. [ not funny ] "People will turn away in droves from nightspots frequented by marines. Why would you want to go anywhere near somewhere that is known as a US military base? "No doubt we will see a boom in prostitution, but we do not see that as a sustainable form of economic development." [ funny ] NOT FUNNY AT ALL ---------------- http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/w-asia/2002/oct/18/101802362.html Associated Press JAKARTA, Indonesia _ Indonesia issued a tough anti-terror decree today that would punish the Bali bombers with the death penalty, while the spiritual leader of an Islamic group suspected in the attack was hospitalized, postponing his police interrogation. [ skip ] President Megawati Sukarnoputri's government achieved two milestones in the anti-terrorism fight -- ramming through emergency measures by decree after months of legislative delay in Parliament, and naming the cleric Abu Bakar Bashir as a suspect in terrorism. The decree permits suspects to be detained for three days based on intelligence reports. A judge can then order the suspect held for up to six months for further interrogation. Anyone who commits an act of terror, or threatens to do so, or who damages public or international facilities, could face prison sentences ranging from four years to life to death by firing squad. Using chemical, biological or radioactive materials to cause terror would bring the same penalties. People who stockpile or use firearms or explosives could face penalties ranging from three years in jail to death. The measures were made retroactive to cover the Bali bombing. The measures will be enforced by the police. Many Indonesians are hesitant about giving wider powers to the military -- which has a record of human rights abuses only partially reined in by democratic leaders since dictator Suharto was toppled in 1998. RESPONSIBLE LEGISLATION ----------------------- http://www.hrw.org/ Major human rights concerns in Indonesia today include continuing abusive behavior by security forces against civilians in Aceh and Papua (Irian Jaya); massive internal displacement of populations due to political, ethnic, and religious conflict; judicial corruption; and the governments continued failure to prosecute commanders responsible for past atrocities, including the 1999 scorched earth destruction of East Timor and dozens of other cases dating all the way back to the army-backed massacres in 1965 that accompanied Soehartos rise to power.