by MICHELLE GRATTAN AND DANIEL FLITTON
AUSTRALIA will target people from 10 countries for stringent new visa checks in a push to prevent terrorists getting through the security net.
Visa applicants from countries identified as high-risk will soon have to submit to fingerprinting and facial imaging, known as biometric checking.
The move will be announced today by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd when he releases the government's white paper on counter-terrorism.
The paper warns that since 2004 there has been an increase in the threat from home-grown terrorists - people born or raised in Australia who have been influenced by violent jihadist messages from overseas.
Its assessment is that terrorism has emerged as a persistent and permanent feature of Australia's security environment. The main threat comes from a global jihadist movement, including al-Qaeda and those inspired by a similar world view.
The government will spend $69 million over four years to bring in biometric checks for visa applications from high-risk countries. The program is being undertaken in collaboration with Britain, which already has an extensive screening system.
The 10 locations have been selected but will not be immediately disclosed, to try to stop people slipping through the net before the system is in place. The nations will be announced over the next year.
The profiling of countries risks upsetting some by singling them out while leaving out borderline cases.
The government says the new system will make it easier for immigration authorities to detect people trying to hide their identity, and will lessen the danger of terrorists entering Australia undetected. Biometric data on visa applicants will be matched against data about terrorists, criminals and other ''people of concern'' held by Australia and its foreign partners.
The biometric checks come after the government recently announced $200 million to strengthen aviation security, and amid heightened terrorism concerns in Western countries following the attempt by a Nigerian man with explosive powder in his underwear to bring down a commercial flight in the US on Christmas Day.
In January, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown singled out Yemen, Somalia and the Sahel - areas from Eritrea across Africa to Nigeria - as regions vulnerable to terrorist influence. The US has also increased airport checks, with all citizens from Afghanistan, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen subjected to a pat-down search and extra baggage checks before boarding US-bound planes.
People from nations deemed by the US to be state sponsors of terrorism - Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria - are also singled out.
Indonesia is not singled out by either the US or Britain, and Australia is likely to follow suit, given its close ties on counter-terrorism with Jakarta.
But Somalia is of special concern to Australian counter-terrorism agencies after four men were arrested in Melbourne in August for allegedly planning an attack on a Sydney army barracks.
ASIO's annual report last year warned that small numbers of Australians continued to look to overseas conflicts for inspiration and to learn tactics and techniques used by extremists.
Links to terrorist outfits in Pakistan are another big focus, with al-Qaeda's leaders thought to be hiding in the lawless tribal lands along the border with Afghanistan.
The white paper says there have been counter-terrorism successes since 2004, including pressure on al-Qaeda leaders and action against terrorists in South-East Asia. But these have been offset by the rise of groups, such as in Somalia and Yemen, inspired by al-Qaeda.
The paper cites the July 2005 London bombings as a turning point in locally generated attacks in Western democracies.
Five men sentenced in Sydney this month for up to 28 years for terrorist-related crimes included Australian-born and naturalised citizens.
http://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/news/national/national/general/rudds-new-terror-trap/1758252.aspx?storypage=0
Prime Minister of Australia had announced the new way in counter-terrorism when he released the government’s white paper. Australia will target people from 10 countries for new visa which they need to submit fingerprinting and facial imaging known as biometric checking to prevent terrorists from getting through the security check easily. This action is taken as terrorism has emerged as persistent and permanent feature to Australia’s security. The program is running out with collaboration with Britain by selected 10 possible countries which will be announced over the next year. It will make immigration authorities duties easier to detect the terrorists as data on visa applicants will be matched against data about terrorists,criminals and other ''people of concern'' held by Australia and its foreign partners.
ReplyDeleteCRITIQUE:
The action taken by the Australia's government in a way to prevent the entering of the terrorists into the country is such a good way. This will help the country to achieve peaceful environment and to avoid them from making the problems towards the country's admistration. However, the government also need to pay attention to the local citizens as they also might be involved in terrorism activities instead of foreigner.