Fed: Terrorism "alive and well": Brumby

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2009
Fed: Terrorism "alive and well": Brumby

MELBOURNE, Aug 3 AAP - The foiled terrorist attack allegedly planned on Australian
soil shows terrorism is alive and well, Victorian Premier John Brumby says.

Mr Brumby said he was briefed on the covert police operation just over a week ago and
congratulated police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland on Tuesday on an "extremely well-coordinated
effort".

"Regrettably, on the briefings I had, it shows that terrorism activity is alive and
well across the world," Mr Brumby told reporters in Melbourne.

"The fact that this (police) effort was so well coordinated today, I think has ensured
that our state and our nation will be safe from terrorism activity."

Mr Brumby stressed that the terrorist threat was borne of extremists and did not reflect
on any particular ethnic communities.

"This has been a very well-conducted and carefully-planned operation," he said.

"It is ongoing but what police would assert was, obviously, (that it was) a well-coordinated
threat to our nation. A threat to army bases has been averted and there is no cause for
concern by Victorian or Australian citizens."

AAP cmb/pmu/cdh

KEYWORD: TERROR VIC BRUMBY

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.