Fed: Brigitte associates questioned by ASIO

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2003
Fed: Brigitte associates questioned by ASIO

CANBERRA, Dec 10 AAP - Australian-based associates of terrorist suspect Willie Brigitte
have been questioned by spy agency ASIO, Attorney General Philip Ruddock said today.

Brigitte, a French national, has been detained in France since he was deported from
Australia in October.

Authorities suspect Brigitte, who has been linked to al-Qaeda, may have been planning
terrorist attacks in Australia.

Mr Ruddock said ASIO had used its powers to temporarily detain and question associates
of Brigitte.

"ASIO needed to know lot more about what Mr Brigitte was doing in Australia and his
associates," Mr Ruddock told ABC radio.

"We have been seeking to use all of the capacities that we have and on this occasion
it has included resort to the questioning/detention regime."

Mr Ruddock said Brigitte had planned mischief in Australia.

"His intention was to harm Australia's interests and possibly Australians," he said.

Mr Ruddock said authorities were still investigating whether any of Brigitte's associates
posed a threat to national security.

"The fact that we are inquiring as to the nature of his associations, and the people
he was mixing with, would suggest that we need to know as much as we can again about those
aspects of his activities here in Australia," Mr Ruddock said.

ASIO has the power to detain people suspected of having information about terrorist
activities for up to a week.

It can question detainees for up to 24 hours in three eight hour blocks, or non-English
speakers for up to 48 hours in six eight hour blocks.

AAP pj/was

KEYWORD: BRIGITTE

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