Fed: Australian capture no surprise - terrorism expert

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2001
Fed: Australian capture no surprise - terrorism expert

A terrorism expert says the Australian man caught fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan
is one of thouands of foreigners doing the same thing.

CLIVE WILLIAMS, of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National
University, says there are probably 3,000 to 5,000 foreigners fighting with al-Qaeda and
the Taliban.

So, he says, it's no great suprise that one of them should be an Australian.

Mr WILLIAMS has told Seven Sunrise that 26-year-old DAVID HICKS appears to have embraced
Islam and perceived injustices against them, and is prepared to go and fight for various
Islamic movements.

Or it could simply be a case of a young man seeking an adventure.

The 26-year-old Adelaide man was captured over the weekend after allegedly fighting
with the Taliban.

He has been identified in the media as DAVID HICKS.

AAP RTV sal/jjs/rt

KEYWORD: TERROR AUST EXPERT (SYDNEY)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.