Airlines warned of likely attacks

WASHINGTON - The United States Department of Homeland Security has warned the airline industry that Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network is planning new suicide hijackings and bombings in the US or abroad.

It said the danger ran until at least the end of the northern summer.

"At least one of these attacks could be executed by the end of the summer 2003," the department said in an advisory.

"Al Qaeda planners have primarily considered suicide hijackings and bombings as the most promising method to destroy aircraft in flight as well as to strike ground targets.

"Attack venues may include the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia or the East Coast of the US due to the relatively high concentration of Government, military and economic targets.

"The hijackers may try to calm passengers and make them believe they were on a hostage, not suicide mission. The hijackers may attempt to use common items carried by travellers, such as cameras, as weapons," the advisory stated.

Later the Australian Government said that US intelligence had not included Australia in the new short-list of al Qaeda terrorist targets, contrary to reports.

Attorney-General Daryl Williams said the US would exclude Australia from a revised advisory.

"The intelligence on which the US advisory was based did not refer to Australia as a possible site for an attack," said Williams' spokeswoman.

"We've been advised by the US that they are going to correct the information and will be issuing a new threat advisory shortly.

"The advice from our intelligence agencies is that the intelligence doesn't warrant an upgrading of threat levels."

The advisory said no operatives are known to have been deployed to conduct the possible attacks.

US officials said the warning came from "multiple sources", including at least one captured al Qaeda operative. But they emphasised they were still trying to determine the credibility of the information.

They said no change was anticipated in the nation's terror alert level. The level remains at "yellow" or an "elevated" risk of attack, where it has generally been since the system began in March last year.

The advisory warned the plan may involve use of five-man teams and an attempt to seize control of the aircraft shortly after takeoff or before landing.

- AGENCIES