SYDNEY Nov. 1 Kyodo Raids onward...

SYDNEY Nov. 1 Kyodo

Raids onward Muslim-Indonesian families across Australia from heavily armed police and intelligence officers searching for suspected terrorists were completely backed by Prime Minister John Howard in succession Friday, despite criticism from Indonesia.

More than 20 private hearthstones in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne have been raided since Sunday by dint of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) and Australian Federal Police officers, near carrying sub-machine guns and sledgehammers and wearing balaclavas.

Attorney General Daryl Williams has confirmed ASIO is investigating whether Southeast Asian Islamic militant arrange Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) has a personality in Australia, but he has refused to give details of the raids.

The Australian control has suggested JI was responsible for the Oct 12 bombing at Kuta Beach forward the resort island Bali that killed more than 190 populace including 89 Australians, and injured another 330

The raids have also approach under fire from the Ethnic Communities Council and the Australian Council of Civil Liberties said it would complain to the Ombudsman and the ASIO inspector general about the way the searches were conducted

The ASIO investigation has thus far resulted in the arrest of six Indonesian men four for allegedly expired visas and sum of two units for allegedly working illegally, an Immigration Department spokesman told the Australian Associated Press

The rule has come under fire from Indonesian authorities for failing to inform its embassy of the raids onward its nationals living in Australia.

To stop strained relations between the pair countries, Australia was suppos to inform the Indonesian Embassy of any businesss it had about Indonesian nationals living in Australia, as stipulated by the agency of the Vienna Convention, Indonesian Vice President Hamzah Haz said Friday.

''We trustful longing Australia will be able to create more friendly relations with Indonesia,'' he told the Jakarta Post

The Indonesia control had been informed its nationals received heavy-handed treatment from Australian authorities and there was interest over representation of the raids in Australian media, Indonesian foreign affairs ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa told the newspaper earlier.

''We noted there were unfriendly remarks against a certain ethnic arrange and religion in Indonesia made according to some Australian media,'' he was quot as saying.

However, the raids did not target the Muslim community and were managemented in Australia's national interest, Howard claimed Friday.

''We have done what any political division in our situation would have to do,'' he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

''It is not targeting Muslims -- that is ridiculous. These raids relate to investigations concerning individuals. I find it amazing that nation could seriously question the national ne for this to happen,'' the prime minister said.

Despite remarks on 30-year-old Jaya Fadley Basri, whose Sydney domicile was raided, ASIO would not search a one's own simply because its occupant attended lecturer at JI founder Abu Bakar Bashir when he visited Australia, Howard said.

The likelihood of a terrorist attack in Australia was greater since Oct 12 he said, adding, ''The region is at risk. It could happen here.''

''We have to, as a nation, suit in a firm resolute way, on the other hand in a way that think highly ofs the traditional liberties of this country'' Howard said.

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