Fed: Australia had 278 bombings last year: Ellison

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2003
Fed: Australia had 278 bombings last year: Ellison

CANBERRA, Dec 3 AAP - The number of reported bombings around Australia dropped to 278
last year from more than 400, Justice Minister Chris Ellison said today.

There were 415 reported bombings in Australia in 2001, according to data from the Australian
Bomb Data Centre (ABDC).

The 2001 figures included the car bombing in Western Australia that killed former police
detective sergeant Don Hancock and racing identity Lou Lewis.

The ABDC, a police and defence research centre established after the Sydney Hilton
Hotel bombing in 1978, recorded only 222 bombings in 2000.

"Australia's bombing scene has been mainly criminal-related, with 278 bombings reported
to the ABDC in 2002," Senator Ellison told the ABDC annual conference.

"The majority of Australian bombings reported are attributed to vandalism."

Senator Ellison told the conference the ABDC's relevance, roles and responsibilities
were growing because of the war on terror.

AAP rmg/sb/tma/jlw

KEYWORD: BOMBS

2003 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.