An insurgent issues a warning in this image from TV, broadcast by the
Al-Arabiya TV channel.
An insurgent issues a warning in this image from TV, broadcast by the
Al-Arabiya TV channel.
Photo: AP
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* Australian terrorist?
A video of a balaclava-clad man warning of future terror strikes in
what sounds like a distinctly Australian accent "looks authentic",
Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said today.
In a videotaped message aired on the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya satellite
channel the masked man attacks US President George Bush and British
Prime Minister Tony Blair over their countries' involvement in Iraq.
The balaclava-clad man, wearing combat gear and holding an automatic
rifle, also boasts about a recent attack that killed United States
troops in Afghanistan.
Speaking to media today, Mr Downer said it was possible the man was
an Australian.
"Bearing in mind we do have a very small number of Australians who
are jihadists, who have joined the jihad movement, have trained with
Al Qaeda. We can't rule it out that it is an Australian,'' Mr Downer
said.
Experts would try to identify the man through his voice but, because
of his concealed face, the task would be extremely difficult, Mr
Downer said.
There was also a possibility the man was from Britain because of his
fluency in English, he said.
"Just from listening to a tape and viewing a tape it's hard to tell
the nationality of the person. But in any case we couldn't rule out
this tape being authentic and the speaker being an Australian,'' he
said.
The video also features blurred footage said to be of a rocket attack
on a helicopter that killed 16 US soldiers in June.
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The man, against a backdrop of trees, claims a group of al-Qaeda
fighters carried out the operation.
"The [inaudible] under Islam will not just let you kill our families
in Palestine, Afghanistan, Kashmir and the Balkans, Indonesia, the
Caucuses and elsewhere," the masked man said.
"It is time for us to be equals. As you kill us, you'll be killed. As
you bomb us, you will be bombed."
The video is being examined by Australian intelligence officers, the
Attorney-General's office said.
A spokeswoman at the Attorney-General's office said ASIO had made the
department aware of the footage and was taking the matter seriously.
"We've been advised that ASIO is looking at the footage very
carefully and will keep us informed of any developments," the
spokeswoman said.
An Australian Federal Police spokesman said security agencies were
assessing the message.
"The AFP is aware of the video message aired on the Dubai-based Al-
Arabiya satellite channel currently being played in the Australian
media," the spokesman said.
"Security agencies are currently assessing the videotaped message.
"Authenticity of the video has not yet been established."
He said it was inappropriate for the agency to comment further.
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