From owner-imap@chumbly.math.missouri.edu Wed Mar 12 17:00:15 2003
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 01:52:41 -0600 (CST)
Organization: South Movement
From: Dave Muller <davemull@alphalink.com.au>
Subject: [southnews] US uses false pretexts to expel envoys—Iraq
Article: 153472
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s802674.htm
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says the United States asked Australia to investigate Iraqi diplomats and whether they were involved in espionage.
The Federal Government is expelling an Iraqi diplomat, accusing him of spying.
Iraqi diplomat Helal Ibrahim Aaref has denied he is a spy and that he has collected information about dissident Iraqis.
The diplomat has been given until Wednesday to leave Australia.
Mr Downer says there is great concern about the Iraqi intelligence service and what it could do if there is a war against Iraq.
He says the United States approached Australia to investigate Iraqi diplomats living in Australia.
No they haven’t put pressure on us but we have had extensive
discussions with the Americans about this issue, of course we
have,
Mr Downer said.
The Opposition says if the allegations are correct, he should never been allowed into the country
Meanwhile, acting Prime Minister John Anderson says the Australian Government will not respond to the diplomat’s challenge to prove he has been spying.
On the Gold Coast in Queensland this morning, Mr Anderson said the Government took action as soon as it believed there was a public interest in expelling the diplomat.
We’ve taken what we regard as appropriate action,
Mr
Anderson said.
We are not going to rise to that sort of challenge.
We don’t reveal sensitive information on which we act in the
interests of the security of the Australian people unless it is in the
public interest to do so, and really that is the be-all and end-all of
this extraordinary matter.
Mr Anderson said the Federal Government had acted in the interests of Australian security but declined to comment further.
We respond when information comes to hand and when the weight of
public interest test, if I can put it that way, requires that action
is taken, we taken it as soon as we believe that there is a public
interest in taking that action—we don’t take it
before,
Mr Anderson said.
When asked why the diplomat was given five days to leave Australia, Mr Anderson said the Government believed that was appropriate for the situation.
I don’t think he’ll be doing anything clandestine or
dangerous to Australia’s interests in that time—let me
assure you of that,
Mr Anderson said.
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