WASHINGTON - US intelligence has convinced Australia that Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda organisation were behind the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said after talks in Washington today that al Qaeda clearly carried out those attacks and previousoperations against the US destroyer Cole in Yemen in 2000 and two US Embassies in Africa in 1998.
"I've had a meeting this morning with a number of people from the intelligence community here. ... I am very satisfied that all of the indications are that Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda were behind the attacks," he told reporters.
"I don't think we need any further persuading about it. From Australia's perspective, it is pretty clear that there are connections between what happened on September 11 and the organisations that were involved in the attacks on the USS Cole, the American embassies in Africa."
Downer renewed an Australian offer to take part militarily in a retaliatory operation against bin Laden, who is believed to be in hiding in Afghanistan.
"The final details of that action are not worked out yet and our role, if we are to have a role -- that's not concluded yet. It is something that is a work in progress," he added.
Asked if he had the impression that a military operation was imminent, he said: "No. We're in a situation where this is still being worked through."
Defence analysts and experts said on Wednesday that Australia would probably be able to provide only perhaps 100 Special Air Services troops and a frigate or two should America call upon it to help out in "Operation Enduring Freedom".
