'Terrorists only slowed by tsunami'

'Terrorists only slowed by tsunami'

AUSTRALIA: Terrorists in Southeast Asia may have postponed
attacks in Indonesia because of the devastating Dec. 26
earthquake and tsunami, but their overall plans have not changed,
Australia's No. 2 spy said on Tuesday.

Ian Cousins, deputy director-general of the Australian
Security Intelligence Organization, said terrorist groups may
have "taken tactical decisions to lay off attacks in Indonesia"
after the quake and tsunami that left more than 200,000 people
dead or missing across much of Asia.

However, Cousins said, the tsunami had not prompted any major
ideological shift among extremists.

"In Southeast Asia, the tsunami that so tragically affected
parts of Indonesia and other countries did not lead and has not
led to any fundamental rethink by terrorists in that region,"
Cousins said at a national security conference.

"We can be certain the tsunami has not resulted in any change
of strategic direction. We must expect that Australia and its
overseas interests will continue to be targeted," he added.

Terrorist bombings on Indonesia's Bali island killed 202
people, including 88 Australians, in 2002. Last year, a suicide
car bombing at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta killed 10
people. -- AP