Global Reaction

Australians not feel safer for bin Laden's death

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-03 13:54

CANBERRA - The death of head of al-Qaida Osama Bin Laden does not make Australians feel any safer, as experts said the death could provoke an angry response from his supporters.

Meanwhile, it is also unlikely to have any long-term effect on Australia's mission in Afghanistan.

While ten Australian citizens have died in the 9-11 terrorist attack in 2001, 88 died in the Bali bombings in 2002, five died in the London and Bali attacks in 2005, and two died in the Mumbai attacks in 2008, a news study showed Australians are still concerned by the threat of terrorist attack, despite the death of the al-Quida leader.

A Unisys Security Index showed more than half of Australians are "more concerned today about the threat of suicide bombs in Australia than 10 years ago".

The research discovered fear of flying and hijacking had risen by 42 percent in the decade since 2001.

Twin brother of the 9-11 attack victims, Paul Gyulavary from Australia, said he feels a sense of personal relief that the United States has claimed justice for the victims.

"But it's not going to mean that terrorism is hidden - al Qaida cells are still going to be around causing terrorism in the world, " he told ABC News.

"And the fact that the main person, the symbol of terrorism, has been killed is not going to change things. Maybe it escalates things."

Director of the Australian National University's Center for Arab and Islamic Studies, Professor Amin Saikal, said the people across the world who supported Bin Laden's views, including those in Australia, would be upset by the news.

"Obviously bin Laden was an important symbol, particularly for his supporters and that is going to cause them much grief, but on the other hand it could also motivate them to take revenge. So they might become more active," he said. "That has happened in history."

After the news, Australian security and intelligence agencies have kept the threat level at medium, saying a terrorist attack is feasible and could happen at any time.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also warned Australians in Pakistan about a "very high threat of terrorist attack".

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who has welcomed the news of Bin Laden's death, said despite his death, al- Qaida was not finished and the war against terrorism must continue.

"It would be a very grave error to think that because Osama bin Laden is dead that somehow the terrorism network that al-Qaida represents is finished. Al-Qaida continues to pose a threat," she told reporters in a press conference in Canberra on Monday.

"We continue to be engaged in Afghanistan so that that country does not again become a haven for terrorists. That work will need to continue."

Australia Defense Association Executive Director Neil James said the death of bin Laden will be good for morale, but he also doubted it would have any significant effect on Australia's mission in Afghanistan.

He said most of the issues in that region were domestic, relating to poor governance and corruption, rather than al-Qaida, and the Australian troops must continue to train the local forces to ensure Afghanistan does not revert to the terrorist haven.

Australia's troop presence in Afghanistan is now 1550, and 23 Australian soldiers have died since 2001.