The sweeping moves follow interrogations at work, on the streets, and raids on homes in the last week of September by ASIO agents assisted by federal and local police around the country.

One woman said she was interrogated face down at gunpoint in her home. Passports, financial records, and other materials were seized. People of the Muslim faith were targeted. No arrests were made and government spokespeople refused to officially comment for reasons of "national security."

ASIO will be empowered to hold "suspects" for 48 hours without charges, after obtaining a warrant. Currently ASIO is only permitted to hold people for up to four hours. Attorney General Daryl Williams said the measures would also allow ASIO "to question people not themselves suspected of terrorism, but who may have information relevant to investigations into politically motivated violence," according to Mark Metherell, writing in the October 3 Sydney Morning Herald. And police and customs officers will be given more powers to seize "terrorist assets."

On October 4, Howard announced at a news conference that 150 SAS special forces troops would be readied for deployment, along with air-to-air refueling aircraft for the imperialist assault on Afghanistan. "We've already committed to an extension of the presence of HMAS Anzac, which currently is serving with the United States Fifth Fleet as part of the UN's multilateral interception force in the Persian Gulf. Should the need arise, we also stand ready to consider further contributions in such areas as long range surveillance aircraft and an amphibious command capability," he said.

These moves come in the wake of the Australian military being placed on "Amber Weathercock" alert, the second highest state of readiness, since September 11. This is the first time this alert has been issued since the 1991 Gulf War.

Security cordons have been placed at all government, military, and secret police offices, at foreign diplomatic missions, and around prominent U.S. businesses. Intensified screening is in place at all airports, with "antiterrorist" Australian Protective Services cops and private security guards now patrolling more conspicuously. These moves are part of the government's National Anti-Terrorist Plan. The plan, with its unprecedented use of the military for domestic security, was first activated during the Sydney Olympics last year.  
 
Military backing assault on Afghanistan
The government has made available to Washington all 295 Australian military personnel currently attached to U.S. military units. These include SAS officers attached to the U.S. Special Forces, pilots and weapons systems officers on exchange with the U.S. Air Force, and naval officers assigned to the U.S. Navy.

The joint U.S.-Australian electronic spy bases at Pine Gap and Geraldton are being used to intercept military communications, satellite telephone conversations, international phone calls, and e-mail.

Regular troops may also be deployed to back up the U.S. military's assault on Afghanistan. With some 1,700 Australian troops in East Timor, having led the imperialist occupation there under the United Nations flag two years ago, and in Bougainville, some commentators have indicated they think the Australian military would be overextended by any significant ground commitment to the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

To free up its troops currently in East Timor, the Australian government has been pushing for Japan's Self-Defense Force (SDF) to send replacement forces to the country. "The SDF don't have much of an international profile," one senior Australian government official said, "but they are extremely well-equipped and well-disciplined." The Koizumi administration in Tokyo is pushing to change the Japanese constitution to allow military deployments overseas and relaxing restrictions on the use of weapons by SDF troops.

In late 2000, Canberra began carrying out an $A23.5 billion boost in spending on its military arsenal, creating greater long-range strike power and "inter-operability" with U.S. forces ($A1 = US 51 cents).

Doug Cooper is a member of the Maritime Union of Australia.  
 
 
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