E&OE……………………………………………………………………………………
McGRATH:
Mr Howard, thanks for speaking to AM this morning. The Indonesian Defence Minister says that it is Al Qaeda, do you agree?
PRIME MINISTER:
There's no direct proof in the sense of proof in a court of law. I have a very strong suspicion that it's either Al Qaeda directed operation or inspired by Al Qaeda. Clearly it's an act of terrorism. Al Qaeda does have a worldwide network. It does have connection with cells that have been operating in Indonesia and this is a subject on which we have expressed concern repeatedly to the Indonesian Government and so have the Americans and others over a period of time.
McGRATH:
Now of this repeated concern, you've raised it, as you've said the Americans have raised it. Have things changed now? Do you fundamentally believe the Indonesian attitude to terrorism will change?
PRIME MINISTER:
I have no doubt that this terrible event has shaken the Indonesian Government, I have no doubt about that. It was indicated to me when I spoke to the President on Sunday. And we have sent our two ministers to Indonesia to talk directly to the Indonesian Government because our main responsibility, our main goal at the moment is to do everything we can to help the Indonesian authorities find the people who did this. Remember this outrage occurred on foreign soil, therefore we must work with the Foreign Government concerned, that's the Indonesian Government, to try and find the people who did it. Now, I naturally expressed the hope I know of 20 million Australians in saying that we earnestly hope that the Indonesian Government seriously applies itself. We urge them to do so. It's obviously in Australia's interest and the interest of bringing these people to justice that we have their cooperation and we have certainly made all the resources we have available. The Americans are sending a forensic team. The British have sent some investigators. There's no shortage of people around the world who are willing to help, but it will require naturally the 100% commitment of the Indonesian authorities because the outrage occurred in Indonesia, and it has not in that sense of course directed by the Indonesian Government. It's another country, we can't just go into another country and take things over - we have to work with people.
McGRATH:
That's right, but can you explain to Australians I guess what is your ideal model? You said you can't expect to take over the investigation, but what would you like to see happen? How would you like to see foreign investigators integrated? What power would they have, for example?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't know quite what you mean by an ideal model. The ideal model is to have every country in the world deadly serious about stopping terrorism. That's the ideal and if that were the case, you'd have less terrorism. And there seems to be a view around that you can pick or choose as to whether you are strongly opposed to terrorism or not - you can't. Terrorism is indiscriminate. It is unforgiving and it lacks pity in relation to whoever it reaches and this idea that you can somehow or other escape it if you deport yourself in a particular way, in a less conspicuous way, that is not borne out by history, it's not borne out by experience.
McGRATH:
Well, you would have heard the comments just then by George W Bush, certainly putting pressure on President Megawati saying that he hopes to hear the result of a leader that recognises that any time terrorists take hold in a country is going to weaken the country itself. Clearly the US is definitely sitting on the fence there, looking as though it doesn't yet feel that Indonesia is committed enough.
PRIME MINISTER:
…sitting on the fence about anything. The Americans are absolutely resolved in their determination to help any country and it is prepared to fight terrorism. I don't think you can accuse the Americans…
McGRATH:
I mean in terms of believing the Indonesians have changed. I mean do you…?
PRIME MINISTER:
I don't think it helps our goal, Australia's goal at the moment, for me to be making judgements about future Indonesian responses or conduct. It is important that we work with each other and we'll get the cooperation of Indonesia if we show a resolve to work with one another. We've sent all our expert people there. We stand ready to help. We have very good police investigation capacity and I know that if that capacity is utilised, then together we can do all we can to find these people. It will not be easy…
McGRATH:
[Inaudible]
PRIME MINISTER:
It will be very very difficult because terrorists by their very nature dissolve into domestic background, they are very hard to locate and it's going to be a very tough call finding them.
McGRATH:
Prime Minister, you indicated yesterday that you would look again at Australia's anti-terrorist legislation, the ALP has indicated they believe the balance is right now.
PRIME MINISTER:
Well, I think when you have such a terrible event as this, you have to look at everything, a judgement that the balance was right before the 12th of October, might not now be a judgement that one would make in the light of the 12th of October.
McGRATH:
Prime Minister, just finally you've obviously looked, I would think, at the letters to the editor today and yesterday - they are mixed, there are many letters saying that obviously focusing on the terrorists and the outrage of the terrorists, but there are also many letters critical of your Government. If I could just read a few comments this morning, in the Adelaide Advertiser one letter to the editor says - sleep well Mr Howard, you made the bed. Another one in the Age says - Prime Minister, I blame you. How do you respond to some of that feeling in the community?
PRIME MINISTER:
We are a democracy, there are people who will blame me for whatever happens because I'm the Prime Minister and also because they don't agree with my politics and they don't agree with the strong stand that I have taken in support of the war against terror since the 11th of September last year. I would say to those people that they are wrong. Terrorists murdered Australians in Bali, nobody else. They had no right, no justification, no possible moral explanation for what they did. To those people who believe that you can escape attacks of this kind by saying nothing when evil occurs, by doing nothing when evil occurs, not only is that moral bankruptcy but it's also wrong. There's no evidence that countries that have taken a lower profile in the fight against terror see their nationals spared the impact of terror, remember that there were 250 Kenyan citizens who died in 1998 when the American Embassy was destroyed by a bomb by Al Qaeda. Remember the German tourists who died when the synagogue was bombed in Tunisia. Remember the French citizens who died in Pakistan. Remember that many of the people of Bali died on Saturday night in that club in that outrage. This idea that you purchase immunity from terror by saying nothing about terror is not only morally bankrupt, but it is also inaccurate in fact.
McGRATH:
Prime Minister, thank you for joining AM this morning.
PRIME MINISTER:
Thank you.
[ends]