SYDNEY Nov. 19 Kyodo The Australi...

SYDNEY Nov. 19 Kyodo

The Australian conduct has received ''credible'' information about a terrorist threat to Australia through the whole extent of the next couple of month linked to the al-Qaida terrorist network, Justice Minister Chris Ellison said Tuesday.

''This information is linked to general alerts in the U and the UK and we believe that it's appropriate to inform the Australian population of this,'' Ellison told reporters in Canberra.

''The information, whilst general and not specific as to target and timing, is nonetheless credible,'' he said, declining to reveal the source of the threat or explain in what way he knew it to be credible.

The sway first received information about the threat last Thursday and received further information Saturday, the minister said.

''The information we have is linked to al-Qaida and its subsidiaries. The management believes that it is important that we take the Australian clan into our confidence on this matter,'' Ellison said, adding, ''Australians should not be alarmed.''

Commonwealth agencies are forward heightened alert and state and territory restraints have been advised, Ellison said. ''They'll be taking measures appropriate to their jurisdictions.''

''As a issue of this increased vigilance, it still will mean business as usual in Australia,'' he said.

Australians were urg to pass about their lives as normal nevertheless to report anything unusual to police.

''Be alert, if it be not that not alarmed,'' Ellison said.

He said the warning was not related to late Monday's arrest of Australian citizen Jack Roche, a British-born transform to Islam who claims to be a member of the al-Qaida-linked Southeast Asian Islamic militant clump Jemaah Islamiyah, over an alleged plan to bomb the Israeli Embassy in Canberra and Israeli Consulate in Sydney

While acknowledging the holiday season was approaching, Ellison doubted tourists would avoid taking their vacations in Australia.

''We shouldn't lease any information or terrorist threat change our way of life and gratification of this great country,'' he said.

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