by trachys » Sat Aug 27, 2005 11:47 am
<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/08/26/news/terror.php">www.iht.com/articles/2005...terror.php</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>Interesting to me was the Japanese response, which I interpret as "leave us alone, we sent some saps [sorry for the pun] to Iraq." An Aussie points out that such an attack would signal a "change in direction."<br><br>disinfo? or do leaders in Japan, Singapore and Australia want their own PATRIOT Acts, and the PTB will oblige? I never know what to think of French sources ...<br><br>Asian cities react calmly to a terror warning<br>Reuters, Agence France-Presse<br><br>SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 2005<br>HONG KONG Asian financial capitals reacted calmly Friday but with determination to a warning from Paris that Al Qaeda could be planning an attack in the region to undermine investor confidence.<br> <br>The warning from Jean-Louis Bruguière, a senior French terrorism investigator, has not led Hong Kong to change its assessment of such a possibility, a Hong Kong Police spokesman, Alfred Ma, said Friday. "The threat assessment remains moderate."<br> <br>Ma said the police had long conducted antiterrorism exercises and would continue to do so, and would remain in touch with law enforcement agencies overseas regarding any possible threats.<br> <br>Bruguière was quoted Friday in The Financial Times as warning that there was reason to believe that Al Qaeda was preparing to attack an Asian financial center. He named Tokyo, Singapore and Sydney as possibilities.<br> <br>"We have several elements of information that make us think that countries in this region, especially Japan, could have been targeted," Bruguière was quoted as saying, without elaborating on the intelligence or nature of the threat.<br> <br>In Tokyo, which has the world's biggest public transport network, security was stepped up after the London suicide bombings and attempted bombings in July. Security has been high in the system since 1995, when a doomsday cult let sarin gas loose in rush-hour trains, killing 12 people and wounding thousands.<br> <br>"It isn't clear how concrete this report is," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said of the latest warning, adding that Japan was cooperating with other countries on security. "We would like to do our best so that no such thing happens."<br> <br>Japan may be particularly vulnerable because it sent combat troops to Iraq to assist U.S. forces there.<br> <br>Singapore said it took the Paris warning seriously even though it had no information of any imminent danger.<br> <br>"In the light of a global terrorist threat and our own experience in the Jemaah Islamiyah episode, our security agencies have taken measures over the last few years to strengthen security at our borders, key infrastructure and iconic buildings," a spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs said.<br> <br>The spokesman said the government has worked with building managers and owners, including those in the financial sector, to increase security.<br> <br>"We recognize that, like any other country, Singapore can face a terrorist attack," he said.<br> <br>In Sydney, Prime Minister John Howard said Australia was fully aware that it was a target, but was "well prepared" for any attack.<br> <br>"The important thing is not to have an effective response mechanism after the attack, the aim is to try and stop it occurring in the first place," he said.<br> <br>Howard added that this was why strong intelligence against terrorists was important.<br> <br>Sydney stepped up security on its public transport system after the London attacks, and the city has a mass evacuation plan in place that involves the private sector.<br> <br>Aldo Borgu, from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said he doubted that Al Qaeda would have the capability to hit targets in Asia and said attacks with economic objectives would mark "a change of direction." <p></p><i></i>
