Australia to impose 1,000-mile 'terror exclusion zone'

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The Independent
By Kathy Marks in Sydney
16 December 2004


In a controversial and possibly illegal step, Australia plans to intercept and board ships on the high seas if it believes them to be a terrorist threat.

The Prime Minister, John Howard, yesterday announced the creation of a 1,000-nautical mile security ring around the coastline, extending south of New Zealand and north of Indonesia, far beyond Australian territorial waters.

All vessels that pass through the zone en route to Australia will be monitored, and required to give details of their crew, location, speed, cargo and destination port. Defence and customs officials will be given powers to intercept those suspected of being a threat.

Australia has heightened national security amid fears of a terrorist attack by Islamic militants based in south-east Asia, particularly Indonesia. However, most analysts believe that the risk, particularly from shipping, is minimal.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/australasia/story.jsp?story=593668

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1. 'Possibly' illegal?

Any waters outside of 12 miles are international. More int'l law going to the dogs.

[lutefisk]

2. Have we finally caught up with the Iraqi "terror ships?"

When are those Iraqi terror ships finally going to run out of diesel so coalition forces can board them, find the WMDs, and vindicate our omniscient, omnipotent, glorious Chimperor once and for all???

Iraqi 'terror ships' at sea
By Patrick McGowan, Evening Standard
19 February 2003

Three huge cargo ships feared to be carrying Iraqi weapons of mass destruction are being tracked around the world by British and American intelligence. The vessels, which have been at sea for three months, are believed to be carrying weapons smuggled out through Syria or Jordan....

Despite grave suspicions of what is on board, Britain and the US are afraid to order interception by naval ships because of fears the crews would scuttle the vessels, each between 35,000 and 40,000 tonnes. If they are carrying chemical, biological or nuclear weapons this could cause catastrophic environmental damage....

The discovery of weapons of mass destruction would be a huge boost to George Bush and Tony Blair and would represent the "smoking gun" they need to justify invading Iraq. However, environmental concerns are preventing boarding of the vessels, whose positions are provided by satellite 24 hours a day....

http://www.thisislondon.com/news/articles/3453118?source=Evening%20Standard