Arch Bevis (Brisbane, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the committee’s report entitled Review of the re-listing of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA) and Al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI).

Ordered that the report be made a parliamentary paper.

by leave—On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and Security it is a privilege for me to once again present a report to this parliament, as with all the reports from this committee, that deals with matters of some serious significance.

The Abu Sayyaf Group, ASG, was initially listed as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code in 2002, following their listing by the United Nations Security Council. The committee first considered the listing of ASG in 2004. The ASG was re-listed on 5 November 2004 and on 1 November 2006. This is its third re-listing.

Jamiat ul-Ansar, JuA, was originally listed in 2002 under the same act, following the listing of that organisation by the United Nations Security Council. Once this requirement for listing was removed in March 2004, the JuA was re-listed in 2004 and 2007 under the amended Criminal Code 1995. This is the third re-listing of JuA.

Al-Qaeda in Iraq was previously listed in 2007 under the name Tanzim Qa’idat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn, TQJBR. Prior to this, TQJBR was listed in 2005. This will be the second re-listing since the initial listing in 2005.

The regulations were signed by the Governor-General on 31 October 2008. They were then tabled in the House of Representatives and the Senate on 10 November 2008. The disallowance period of 15 sitting days for the committee’s review of the listing began from the date of the tabling. Therefore the committee was required to report to the parliament by Monday of this week. The tabling of this report was, of course, postponed until today due to the Victorian bushfire disaster and the subsequent adjournment of the House, with which we are all familiar.

Notice of the inquiry was placed on the committee’s website. No submissions were received from the public. Representatives of the Attorney-General’s Department and ASIO attended a private briefing on this matter.

The committee were informed of nine significant attacks carried out by the Abu Sayyaf Group within the Philippines since 2000. The group engages in kidnapping for ransom. In April 2007 seven local workers on the southern Philippines island of Jolo were kidnapped and later beheaded after ransom demands were not met.

Information provided to the committee by ASIO indicates that, whilst Philippines and United States military operations have ‘fragmented’ the ASG, they are still a force considered to present a threat in the region. The committee acknowledges that the group have an ability to destabilise the southern Philippines and the fragile peace process that exists there.

Jamiat ul-Ansar has been involved in a number of terrorist activities over the past nine years, including hijacking, bombings, abductions and training of terrorists. In 2002, JuA member Ahmed Omar Sheikh was convicted of the abduction and beheading of US journalist Daniel Pearl.

JuA cooperates with other Islamic groups operating in Afghanistan, Kashmir and Pakistan and is a member of the United Jihad, an overarching organisation aimed at coordinating the strategies and communications of the various jihadi groups.

JuA is deeply entrenched within the jihadist movement. It has also been closely linked with the al-Qaeda network and has provided training and religious instruction to other associated terrorist organisations.

Al-Qaeda in Iraq has an extensive history of involvement in terrorist attacks. The committee’s report refers to a comprehensive list of those events.

Al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility for an attack against an Australian Defence Force (ADF) convoy in Baghdad on 25 October 2004 and an attack near the Australian Embassy in Baghdad on 19 January 2005.

Although there have been no known recent attacks at or near ADF personnel or equipment it is clear that Australians in Iraq are in danger of attack by elements of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

The committee received evidence that al-Qaeda in Iraq specifically include children in their suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) attacks. They are brutal and committed terrorists and the committee fully supports their listing under the Criminal Code.

I want to place on record again my appreciation for the very constructive bipartisan approach of all members of the committee. I am fortunate to have experienced and capable people on the committee. I would like to thank the deputy chair of the committee, the former Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, and other members of the committee, who bring a great deal of expertise to the proper consideration of these important matters. I commend the report to the parliament.

Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I thank the chair for his comments and endorse the remarks that he has made about the importance of relisting these three organisations, Abu Sayyaf Group, Jamiat ul-Ansar and al-Qaeda in Iraq. All of these have been listed as terrorist organisations before, and the continuing engagement of those organisations in terrorism, outlined in the report, constitutes more than sufficient reason for their continued listing. It is important, in the context of the many tragic events that we see from time to time, that we do not allow ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security about the risks that terrorism poses to Australia. Terrorism is an ongoing threat.

So far this decade—and I have said this before—Australians have been impacted by more than 10 planned, aborted or actual attacks. The most recent was in Mumbai when tragically, two months ago, two Australians lost their lives and others were injured. Events have occurred each and every year since 2000. In 2000 Jack Roche planned to attack Israeli facilities in Australia. In 2001 Singapore authorities identified a plot by JI to attack our mission, among others, in Singapore. In that year the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre occurred as well as those on the Pentagon. In 2002 there were the Bali bombings in which 88 Australians perished. In 2003 Willie Brigitte and others planned to carry out terrorist attacks here in Australia. In 2004 there was an attack on our embassy in Jakarta. In 2005 there were the second Bali bombings. In 2005 we also saw the attacks on the London transport system. In 2006 there were plans to blow up transatlantic flights between the United Kingdom and the United States. In 2007 bombs were planted in the entertainment centre of London and there was an attempt to bomb Glasgow airport. In 2008, here in Australia, we secured convictions of a number of people relating to acts preparatory to carrying out terrorist attacks in Australia.

The report speaks for itself, but I note that there continues to be publicly reported activity involving these organisations. I notice that Abu Sayyaf have admitted to holding three workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Philippines. They are holding them for ransom, one of their known techniques for terrorising and for continuing their activities.

You have organisations like the Australian Strategic Policy Institute undertaking independent analysis of these issues, and I note that on 26 June last year they reported that it is premature to conclude that the threat posed by JI and other extremist groups has significantly receded. They went on to say that JI’s ideological message still resonates with other radical Islamic groups that have the intention of carrying out terrorist attacks.

I notice that on 15 November the then Director of the CIA commented more broadly upon the situation internationally and said that al-Qaeda was in retreat in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Iraq while it had strengthened in Pakistan and expanded its activities to North Africa, Somalia and Yemen. He said the group was cultivating Somali extremists; gaining strength in Yemen, where attacks were on the rise; and striking Western targets in Algeria, including French tourists and workers. He said that North Africa, East Africa and Yemen serve as a counterweight to the good news out of Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

I think all this serves to demonstrate why this report of the committee remains a relevant document for our consideration. If you go through the report, you will find that there are elements in each case that have some impact here in Australia. On page 17 of the report in relation to the Abu Sayyaf Group it says:

… ASG engages in kidnapping of foreigners, demanding several million dollars in ransom. These kidnappings have occurred at resorts, including those off the coast of Malaysia.

DFAT has issued travel warnings, and it advises that kidnapping is a significant threat for foreigners, including Australians, in the Philippines. Further on in the report, you find that in relation to the second group, Jamiat ul-Ansar, while it makes no direct reference to any direct threat to Australia, the report says:

… JuA’s close links with and support of Al-Qaeda and the cancellation of the Australian cricket team’s tour to Pakistan earlier in 2008 indicate that JuA and associated groups within Pakistan pose a threat to Australians in Pakistan.

The chair of the committee mentioned in his own remarks in relation to al-Qaeda in Iraq the responsibility that they have for an attack against a convoy of our Defence Force in Baghdad in 2004 and an attack near our embassy in 2005. I think the record speaks for itself. The support for the continued listing of these organisations is, I think, self-evident and I am grateful that we have a group of members of parliament supporting our organisations that are undertaking the important role of protecting Australia and Australia’s interests and serving conscientiously in sifting through the evidence on these matters and ensuring appropriate probity in the decisions that are taken. I thank the chair of the committee and I thank my colleagues for the work that they undertake. I also thank our committee secretariat for the valued support that they give to us.