Fed: PM leaves open prospect Habib intelligence may be wrong

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2005
Fed: PM leaves open prospect Habib intelligence may be wrong

CANBERRA, Feb 13 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard tonight left open the possibility
that intelligence implicating Mamdouh Habib as a person of interest to Australian authorities
could be wrong.

The former Guantanamo Bay detainee was released from the US military prison last month
without charge but remains a person of interest to Australian spy agency ASIO.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told the Nine Network that ASIO's concerns centred
on Mr Habib's alleged links with al-Qaeda.

Speaking on ABC radio, Mr Howard would not say what intelligence those concerns were based on.

"I'm not going to go into detail of intelligence sources," he said.

Asked if he trusted US intelligence after its failure over the issue of weapons of
mass destruction in Iraq, Mr Howard said failure in one area did not always mean failure
in another area.

But he acknowledged intelligence was not always right.

"Intelligence is never beyond all reasonable doubt, is never utterly precise or accurate
and failure of intelligence in one area does not mean failure of intelligence in other
areas," Mr Howard said.

AAP so/lma/jlw

KEYWORD: HABIB HOWARD

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