| Subject: AAP: ASIO
to probe defence leaks on East Timor
December 1, 1999, Wednesday
ASIO to probe defence leaks on East Timor
CANBERRA, Dec 1 AAP -Attorney-General
Daryl Williams today would neither confirm nor deny that Australia's
domestic spy agency was investigating alleged intelligence leaks on East
Timor but he said if this was the case it would be done in accordance to
the law.
The Age newspaper today reported the
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had launched an
investigation into a series of highly-embarrassing leaks by the Australian
Defence Intelligence Organisation (ADIO).
The investigation was prompted by a
series of stories based on classified ADIO East Timor assessments
published by newspapers, the ABC and The Bulletin magazine.
It would be a no-holds barred probe,
headed by Defence Department assistant secretary Jason Brown, which could
result in criminal charges against those who leaked any information as
well as those who received it, the paper said.
Mr Williams, whose approval would be
needed for telephone intercepts used by ASIO, said he was unaware of the
Age report and refused to comment on it.
"On matters of national security,
the practice of successive governments has been not to comment," he
told ABC radio.
But he promised any investigation would
be conducted according to the law.
"Let me say that anything that ASIO
does will be done in accordance with the legislation under which ASIO is
set up," he said.
"Anything that ASIO does will be
capable of being inspected by the inspector-general of intelligence and
security who has access to all the information that ASIO can
provide."
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