'Urgent' flight training for 50 denied: report
From AAP
06dec01
UP to 50 middle-eastern men reportedly tried urgently to receive pilot training in South Australia 10 months ahead of the September 11 terror attacks, according to reports.
The allegations arose after a man arrested in India earlier today claimed he intended to carry out suicide attacks in Australia after undergoing pilot training in Australia in 1997 and 1998, federal Attorney-General Daryl Williams said.
SBS radio says it has obtained documents which show SA education department officials raised concerns about the mass application for flight training two weeks after the September 11 terrorist attack.
SBS says South Australian police, the premier's department and federal police were contacted soon after and the FBI was also alerted.
The request by the men to train at the Murray Bridge-based company last December was turned down by the education department because the men wanted the training to be completed urgently.
The head of the flight school confirmed to SBS that police are still looking at documents relating to the application.
SBS says it appears the men seeking the flight training then went to the US.
Earlie today Mr Williams said the man arrested in India was not an Australian citizen but would not say what nationality he was.
He also declined to release details of the air training school where the man took lessons.
"I have had a briefing from ASIO (the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) this morning in relation to the man in custody in India," he said.
"We have confirmed that the man in custody in India undertook pilot training in Australia in 1997 and 1998 and he left Australia in December 1998 and has not returned.
"He claims that he undertook that training for terrorist purposes.
"However we haven't been able to confirm the veracity of that claim. "The matter is still under investigation."
Earlier, Indian Home Minister LK Advani said a man thought to be linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network was arrested in Bombay.
He had made "very shocking confessions", including that "the al Qaeda had plans to not only attack the United States but also for similar attacks on Britain, Australia and the Indian parliament".
Mr Williams said: "We have been aware of claims that a group was training to undertake terrorist acts in the United Kingdom, India and Australia for some time.
"We have good liaison with intelligence agencies overseas and it is from that source that this information has been provided."
Mr Williams said the Government was not aware of any specific threat in relation to the man or any other person in Australia.
He said Australia remained on a heightened security alert as it had been since the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11.
"We are putting in place a range of measures we believe will assist in the war against terrorism," he said.
"There will shortly be going before the National Security Committee and the cabinet proposals for a range of different measures including new legislation to deal with terrorism threats."
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer this morning said the apparent confession proved Australia had to take security seriously.
"I don't think this is a hoax or should be treated as a hoax," he told the Seven Network's Sunrise program.
"I think these are claims that should be taken seriously.
"We can be grateful for the fact that he has been arrested by Indian authorities and it just simply underlines the point that we do live in very dangerous times and all countries have to be much more vigilant with their security."