ASIO POWERS UNDER ATTACK

ASIO's raids on suspected terrorists have some people very upset:

Former prime minister Malcolm Fraser, Amnesty International and Liberty Victoria have criticised ASIO's increased terrorism powers after raids in Sydney and Melbourne yesterday.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) and ASIO officers conducted raids on properties in Melbourne and Sydney but no charges have been laid.

The Federal Government's anti-terrorism legislation is under review, though the Government has indicated it wants to retain the broader powers introduced in the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Mr Fraser says he is concerned Australia is losing its democratic values.

"You can be arrested because ASIO thinks you know something which you don't know and then your defence is to prove you don't know it," he said.

"Well, how do you prove a negative? And how do you prove you don't know something if you don't know something in the first place?"

Fraser makes a very good point about proving a negative: it would be impossible for him and his fellow moaners to prove their not idiots.