2. Labor defends Keelty on terror

[dudeness]

LABOR today defended Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Mick Keelty's qualifications to comment on terrorism issues.

Prime Minister John Howard said he disagreed with Mr Keelty's view that Spain may have been targeted by the al-Qaeda terrorist network because of its role in the war on Iraq.

Mr Howard said ASIO chief Dennis Richardson believed the Iraq issue was irrelevant to al-Qaeda's intent and purposes and that Mr Richardson was a more authoritative person than Mr Keelty to comment on intelligence issues.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd today said Mr Howard's criticism of Mr Keelty was extraordinary.

"The Australian Federal Police lie at the forefront in our counter-terrorism effort within this country, and not just within this country, but also has a significant role to play in counter-terrorism within the region," Mr Rudd told ABC radio.

http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8981165%255E1702,00.html

[teryang]

1. Following chimps evangelical expansionism

...has consequences. Howard is compelled to deny the link for obvious reasons.