On 8 December 1999, Inter Press Service (IPS) reported that Australia’s national broadcaster and a magazine are being investigated by Australia’s spy agency for airing and publishing a series of stories based on alleged intelligence leaks on East Timor. IPS said “The Age” newspaper, of Melbourne, reported the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) was probing […]
On 8 December 1999, Inter Press Service (IPS) reported that Australia’s national broadcaster and a magazine are being investigated by Australia’s spy agency for airing and publishing a series of stories based on alleged intelligence leaks on East Timor. IPS said “The Age”
newspaper, of Melbourne, reported the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) was probing the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and “The Bulletin” magazine. This followed in-depth stories they ran in November on what they claimed were leaked classified documents from Australia’s Defence Intelligence Organisation. It would be a no-holds barred probe which could result in criminal charges against those who leaked any information as well as those who received it, the paper said.
The allegedly leaked documents indicate that the Australian government was well-informed about how the Indonesian armed forces were fomenting militia violence in the run-up to the 30 August independence ballot, IPS said. They conflict with government testimony given to a Senate inquiry,
it said. The documents also undermine the view that it was only “rogue elements” in the Indonesian army that caused the violence that led to intervention by Australian-led multinational forces, IPS said.
IPS reported that, according to sources in the ABC, legal counsel will be sought if ASIO hinders the broadcaster’s editorial staff in carrying out their journalistic duties.
