Saturday, February 27, 2010
Australia joins hunt for killers
AUSTRALIAN authorities are working in an international team to track down the killers of a top Hamas militant who are suspected of being Israeli agents. A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed Australian officials were ''co-operating'' with the investigation being run by Dubai authorities, although he declined to discuss what that involved.
Thee Australian Federal Police also declined to comment.
But Dubai's police chief Dhahi Khalfan was reported in the government-owned Al-Bayan daily as saying Australia would be part of an international police unit along with officers from at least seven other countries. The unit would seek to track down those responsible for the murder of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, whose body was found in a Dubai hotel room on January 20.
Thenewspaper quoted Mr Khalfan as saying that officers from the United Arab Emirates, unspecified European countries, Australia and possibly the United States would be part of the team. The team is also believed to include authorities from Britain, Ireland, France and Germany.
Israell has come under mounting international pressure after Dubai police published details of 26 suspects and said that 12 British, six Irish, four French, one German and three Australian passports were used to help carry out the assassination.
The international police organisation Interpol has circulated warrants for the arrest of 11 suspects. Dubai later said it had 15 other suspects.
Revelationsof stolen identities being used by suspected Israeli agents has caused an international outcry, with Australia threatening it would ''not be silent on the matter'' and Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin saying ''we are very angry''.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith last week called in the Israeli ambassador for a explanation. Yesterday, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the government was still ''not satisfied with that explanation''.
Israel has said there is no evidence that its spy agency, the Mossad, was behind the killing.
Meanwhile, police in Dubai say they have DNA evidence to prove the identity of at least one of the assassins involved.
Source:theage.com.au/
Australia Tsunami warning
There has been an Australia tsunami warning following the huge earthquake which hit Chile today. The 8.8 magnitude quake has devastated central Chile, and its force has been felt in every direction – which has prompted this Australia tsunami warning.
Australia Tsunami warning
The President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, declared a ‘State of Catastrophe’ – and has also told people to remain calm and stay safe.
The huge tremor hit the country in the morning, just before 7am. At least 13 people have been reported killed in the capital Santiago, which felt the full force of the earth’s movement. Many buildings collapsed, including a car-park – however, Chile is a country which is well prepared for earthquakes, and many of its buildings withstood the impact.
The President appealed to the people: “People should remain calm. We’re doing everything we can with all the forces we have. Any information [that we have] we will share immediately.”
Australis’s tsunami warning will come as a shock, as they may have considered themselves too far from the epicentre to be affected – but people are advised to act responsibly and stay tuned to state media for advice and instruction.
Give us your news and views – have you heard more about the Australia tsunami warning?
Source:breakingnewsandsport.com/
India safe for IPL, Australians told
AUSTRALIA'S IPL cricketers are set to run the gauntlet and play in the Indian Premier League after an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade delivered a secret briefing to players in Christchurch yesterday. The key piece of information was that DFAT's travel advice was unchanged from last year when Australia visited India without any security issues.
Members of the Australian Twenty20 squad who are contracted to Indian franchises attended the 20-minute briefing session. Independent security consultant Reg Dickason and Australian Cricketers' Association boss Paul Marsh were on a telephone hook-up. It is understood the players were told that a recent threat from the al-Qaeda-linked 313 Brigade was not credible.
''As you know, the travel advisory for India hasn't changed in 12 months,'' Cricket Australia general manager Michael Brown said after the meeting. ''The purpose today was to give the players as much information as possible. It's not just the cricketers involved. We've got staff going to the IPL, there's a whole lot of state physios, coaches, state players.
''Our position is just saying, 'Look, this is what we know'. The IPL isn't an issue for us because we don't have an Australian team - but we are privy to a whole lot of information that we get in our normal processes. DFAT said they would be happy to give the players a personal briefing. We said we would take the invitation.''
Australia's other IPL players and staff who are not in New Zealand, including retired stars such as Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, will receive the same information tomorrow.
''The reality is we're living in a world where terrorism is part of our lives,'' Brown said. ''Right up until the day you depart, it can change. Who would have thought about London, who would have thought about Mumbai, Lahore? The reality is you've got to make your decisions based on the best information.
''The advice simply from the government is that the travel advisory for India hasn't changed. It doesn't mean it can't change between now and the start of the tournament. No decisions were made today. It was purely an information session. We want people to make informed decisions.''
The DFAT website warns visitors to India to exercise a high degree of caution, but it has not upgraded its warning since the direct threat from the 313 Brigade - which listed the Hockey World Cup, the IPL and the Commonwealth Games as targets. The Kookaburras had already proceeded to Delhi for the Hockey World Cup after receiving the same advice from DFAT.
Tim May, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers, said it was regrettable that players were still unclear about security arrangements for the tournament and warned there could still be mass withdrawals. Franchises are refusing to divulge their security plans.
''There are just 13 days before the start of the tournament and security arrangements have still not been agreed,'' he said. ''We would love to tell the players it is OK for them to go … But we can't give that assurance at the moment.''
Source:smh.com.au/
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