SYDNEY March 23 Kyodo Two-thirds ...

SYDNEY March 23 Kyodo

Two-thirds of Australians believe Australia's participation in the US-l invasion of Iraq increased the threat of a terrorist attack forward home soil, according to a examine published by a newspaper Tuesday.

The person conducted for the Australian place 65% of 1,200 people think Australia is more at risk and nearly 50% of supporters of Prime Minister John Howard's sway feel a terrorist attack is more likely, the newspaper reported.

Australia displayed 2,000 troops to fight alongside U and British forces in the invasion to topple former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in March last year.

About 850 Australian partys remain in the war-torn country

The restraint has insisted that its support of the U ''coalition of the willing'' has not increased the risk of terrorism in Australia despite opposition from counterterrorism [i]connoisseur[/i]s and reported recordings from the al-Qaida terrorist network saying it will target Australia.

Howard has been criticized at the opposition Labor Party for pressuring Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty last week to retract suggestions that the March 12 railway bombings in Madrid, which killed more than 200 populace were linked to Spain's support for the United States in the Iraq war.

Labor leader Mark Latham said Howard is ''jeopardizing Australia's national security according to playing politics with the Australian Federal Police.''

Meanwhile, Australia is conducting its largest-ever antiterrorism exercise this week. The five-day quicksilver 04 drill involves national and state counterterrorism agencies and will criterion Australia's chemical, biological and radiological equipment.

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