Comments on: The terror raid leak was serious. We must find the source

By: Mr Squid

Mr Squid — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:10:47 +0000

that’s newscrap for you: jeopardising national security and putting police and other security staff at risk for profit, headlines and self-aggrandisement.

By: Ben Aveling

Ben Aveling — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:02:42 +0000

@Jose. It appears that Australian tried to time its release for as soon as possible after the raids, but stuffed up.

And for what it’s worth, I am the only one who for whom the expression ‘coercively interrogate’ brings to mind ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’?

By: AR

AR — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:00:03 +0000

I can’t believe that anybody doesn’t think that the Keystones leaked this to bolster their image (with the public) - no other agency thinks they are other than uni/grad wankers with too many resources.
State cops despise them, the Army wouldn’t piss on them were they on fire.
As for the spooks, there are many therein suffering tewwibly, tewwibly from RDS since the Rodent and Bomber departed.
I’ll never forget (nor forgive) Bumbler’s prize statement, before being dumped, “I always believe whatever the security forces tell me”, on Inciters regading Haneef. FFS!

By: jose carreras

jose carreras — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 05:28:01 +0000

What I’d like to know is were the arrests brought forward because the AFP became aware that the Australian newspaper knew of the investigation. I note that the police for all their allegations haven’t been showing caches of weapons or detailed printed material such as maps to the media which one would presume a bunch of terrorists about to imminently carry out a terrorist attack would have had in their possession.

I do agree that whatever scumbag tipped off the press to an ongoing investigation of this nature should be found and spend a very long time in a small cell.

By: stephen martin

stephen martin — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:12:09 +0000

“McClelland, announced that he had supervised the deal with the The Australian newspaper to embargo the story.” - Is that a leak?
How do you define a leak.If the Attorney General advises a newspaper, under an embargo, of a proposed AFP, ASIO raid, he maybe unwise, but it is surely within his authority?

By: meski

meski — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:04:05 +0000

Regarding your point two, yes, but if he had, once this kind of precedent was established, who would ever:
1 - talk to Stewart
2 - talk to journalists in general?

By: Gavin Moodie

Gavin Moodie — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:00:56 +0000

Do we know enough yet to conclude that the alleged plotters were well advanced in their preparations, had the resources, and were competent enough to be a reasonable risk of implementing their plan? Is it not possible that someone from the Australian Federal Police was following that force’s normal practice of selectively leaking to the media to prejudice the position of the accused? In short, might not this be more an issue of fair treatment of suspects than ‘national’ security or even the security of 1 of 100 defence force bases?