THE al-Qaeda terror group remains active and has Australia on its radar, a parliamentary inquiry has heard. The parliamentary joint committee on ASIO, ASIS and DSD met in camera yesterday to review the listing of six terror groups outlawed in Australia. A written submission from Attorney-General Philip Ruddock, which formed the basis of the review, said credible intelligence sources had assessed that al-Qaeda was continuing to plan terror acts. "In furthering its international objectives, Australia is seen as a legitimate target by al-Qaeda and associated groups," the submission said. "Since 11 September 2001, Australia has been named as a target in five public statements by Osama bin Laden and one by his deputy Ayman al Zawahiri. Australia has also figured in media and internet statements by al-Qaeda and other Islamic extremist sources."The submission said ASIO had confirmed a small number of Australians had trained in bomb-making and assassination techniques in al-Qaeda's terror camps in Afghanistan. As many as 20,000 Islamic radicals had trained in such camps. "ASIO assesses that al-Qaeda is continuing to prepare, plan and foster the commission of acts involving threats to human life and serious damage to property," the submission said.
A separate submission said the terror group Jemaah Islamiah also presented a "serious risk" to the safety of people in Australia, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia. Other terror organisations reviewed were the Abu Sayyaf Group, Armed Islamic Group, Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA) and Salafist Group for Call and Combat. The committee will report to Parliament on the relisting of the groups on March 14. To date, 17 groups have been proscribed as terrorist organisations in Australia. All but one, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, are also listed by the UN Security Council as terrorist organisations.