VZCZCXYZ0000 
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DE RUEHBY #0041/01 0130602 
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P 130602Z JAN 09 
FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0814

UNCLAS CANBERRA 000041 
 
SIPDIS 
 
S/CT:RHONDA SHORE AND NCTC:RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM 
 
REF: 08 STATE 124815 
     08 STATE 120019 
 
¶1. (U) The text of the report follows. The embassy POC is 
Virgil Strohmeyer, strohmeyervb@state.gov. 
 
Australia continues to maintain a regional leadership 
position in the fight against terrorism. Australia's 
trilateral cooperation with Japan and the United States 
addressed terrorist threats in South-East Asia. With its 
Japanese and US counterparts, Australia strengthened 
cooperation on border, transport and maritime security, and 
countering extremism. In April and May 2008, Australia 
conducted trilateral regional workshops to identify and 
disrupt terrorist cash courier operations and to respond to 
bioterrorism. These events were capped by the annual 
US-Australia-Japan Trilateral Strategic Dialogue in October 
¶2008. In September 2008, the Government of Australia 
announced the appointment of William (Bill) Paterson as the 
country's new Ambassador for Counterterrorism. 
 
2008 saw the government actively developing an improved 
national security structure through the appointment of a 
National Security Adviser (NSA). The NSA will help the Prime 
Minister on all policy matters relating to the security of 
the nation, including countering terrorism, and oversee the 
implementation of all national security policy arrangements. 
The NSA will improve the strategic direction within the 
national security community; support whole-of-government 
national security development and crisis response; and 
promote a cohesive national security culture. A National 
Intelligence Coordination Committee (NICC) chaired by the NSA 
will ensure that national intelligence efforts are fully and 
effectively integrated across governmental agencies. 
 
In February 2008, the Lombok Treaty between Australia and 
Indonesia (the world's largest Muslim majority country and 
largest nation in the region) came into full force and 
provides the framework for a bilateral relationship until 
¶2013. Law enforcement cooperation includes police-to-police 
coordination, particularly in trafficking in persons, trade 
in illicit drugs and terrorism. The treaty continues capacity 
building projects such as the successful Jakarta Centre for 
Law enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC), which plays an important 
role in fostering cooperation among South-East Asian agencies 
involved in counter- terrorism, the commencement of joint 
legal training programs in July 2008, the renewal of the 
counterterrorism Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and the 
holding of inaugural counterterrorism consultations in May 
¶2008. The treaty marked increased bilateral cooperation in 
the fight against terrorism in areas such as law enforcement, 
border control, maritime and transport security, legal 
assistance, financial monitoring, defense, and management of 
chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear terrorist 
threats. 
 
Australia's bilateral counterterrorism outreach and 
cooperation expanded again in 2008. In May 2008, Australia 
led high-level counterterrorism consultations with the 
Philippines. The consultations reviewed capacity building and 
operational collaboration, and agreed on broad priorities and 
directions for future cooperation. In June 2008, Australia 
extended for a further six months the assignment of an 
Australian official to strengthen the Cambodian Government's 
counter-terrorism capabilities. Bilateral counterterrorism 
talks in 2008 were expanded to include first round talks with 
Russia in June. In December 2008, Australia signed a 
counterterrorism MOU with Bangladesh, the 14th such bilateral 
agreement concluded by Australia. 
 
Following the September 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in 
Islamabad, Australia announced plans to expand its 
QIslamabad, Australia announced plans to expand its 
counterterrorism efforts with Pakistan, including possible 
provision of law enforcement assistance, counter-insurgency 
training, and technical assistance. 
 
Australian multilateral engagement continued in forums such 
as the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia Pacific 
Economic Cooperation, the Pacific Island Forum and the G-8 
Counterterrorism Action Group, as well as in the Global 
Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. 
 
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) received further funding 
to expand its investigative and specialist training, 
currently delivered to regional law enforcement partners 
through facilities like JCLEC. Funding was targeted toward: 
 
- conducting offshore exercises and training with regional 
partners, 
- increasing the number of counterterrorism advisers working 
in AFP's international liaison officer network, 
- introducing to high priority locations a custom-built Case 
Management and Information System developed for use in 
overseas jurisdictions, and 
- enhancing specialist forensic and technical training for 
law enforcement agencies in the region and in theaters of 
war, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. 
 
In 2008, hundreds of officers from AFP's International 
Deployment Group (IDG) were overseas, many in 
counterterrorism technical assistance and operational/liaison 
roles. The AFP Operational Response Group was designed to 
respond on short notice to emerging law and order issues and 
to conduct stabilization operations to head off lawless 
situations that terrorists could exploit. Australia continued 
to provide legal drafting assistance to regional states, 
including the South Pacific islands, seeking to adopt 
international conventions and protocols against terrorism, 
and to bring domestic laws into conformity with these 
conventions. 
 
The Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) 
reports that within Australia, a small but significant 
minority of the Islamic community hold or has held extremist 
views. An even smaller minority is prepared to act in support 
of them--including by advocating violence, providing 
logistical or propaganda support to extremists, or traveling 
abroad to train with terrorist groups or participate in 
violent jihad activities. Under Australia's Criminal Code, 18 
groups are on the Listing of Terrorist Organizations. The 
Attorney-General re-affirmed three in November--Abu Sayyaf 
Group (ASG), Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA) and AI-Qa'ida in Iraq 
(AQI). 
 
During 2007-08 legal proceedings commenced against a number 
of individuals charged with terrorism offences, and in one 
trial, convictions were handed down by a jury in Melbourne. 
Yet, the nation has also required that the government review 
its 2005 terrorist legislation in 2010 in light of a need for 
protection of guaranteed rights. Because of the deportation 
of an innocent relative of a terrorist, there was felt a need 
to insure that the unwarranted deportation of the innocent 
would not occur again. 
 
The Australian Transaction Reports Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) 
which monitors financial transactions, serves as the national 
AML/CTF regulator with supervisory, monitoring, and 
enforcement functions over a diverse range of industry 
sectors. A new set of regulatory reforms, introduced in draft 
legislation made public in August 2007, is heading for 
legislative enactment in 2009. These include new regulations 
regarding real estate, precious gems and stones; and 
specified legal accounting, and trust services. Australia 
continued to seek and fund additional staff and technical 
capabilities, and establish identity security strike teams to 
investigate and prosecute people and syndicates involved in 
manufacturing false identities. 
 
Australia's active and ongoing interfaith dialogues encourage 
growing tolerance and understanding among the country's many 
immigrant communities. The Australian government has used a 
similar approach in at-risk communities of faith in 
Indonesia, especially among persons incarcerated in 
Indonesian prisons. 
 
Australia supported a range of activities promoting tolerance 
and mutual understanding among communities in the region, and 
countering extremist ideology and propaganda. In this 
context, it engaged with the Indonesian corrections sector, 
including hosting a successful visit to Australia in August 
2007 of a high-level delegation of Indonesian police, prison 
officers and counter-terrorism officials. The New South Wales 
(NSW) Department of Corrective Services, in June 2008, 
provided targeted training in Australia for a range of senior 
Indonesian corrections officials. Australia also conducted 
QIndonesian corrections officials. Australia also conducted 
research in Indonesia on attitudes to issues such as 
democracy, politically motivated violence, extremist ideology 
and the acceptance of pluralism and facilitated visits by 
academics, journalists and community leaders to and from 
Australia within the region. 
 
Australia partners with the United States in exchanging 
information on known and suspected terrorists using the 
Terrorist Screening Centre as the operational hub for 
encounter management and with the United States in APEC's 
Regional Movement Alert System (RMAS). Both programs enhance 
our joint ability to disrupt travel by known and suspected 
terrorists. 
 
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has some 1090 personnel in 
Afghanistan and 120 troops in Iraq. Their efforts support the 
Global War on Terror. 
 
In 2009 Australia will release a Counterterrorism White Paper 
describing the continuing threat to Australia from terrorism 
and suggest appropriate adjustments to its counter-terrorism 
policy. This is expected to include changes/additions to its 
bilateral arrangements and increased capacity building 
activities with regional countries. 
 
MCCALLUM