Australia scrambled defences to hijackers and bombers

Sydney: Back in 2004, Australia was really on edge about terrorism. It was just a few years after 9/11 and the Bali bombings, and the fear was palpable.

Newly released cabinet documents show that officials were seriously worried about a potential attack on Australian soil. Al-Qaeda was still a big threat, and they were ramping up their activities.

They even had plans in place for what to do if a plane was hijacked. The Prime Minister or Defence Minister could order the military to shoot it down if they thought it was a threat.

But here’s the kicker: even with those powers, they didn’t have the forces ready to act quickly enough. Their radar coverage and communication systems were lacking, which would slow down any response.

Imagine a hijacked plane flying near Sydney, looking like it’s on a normal flight path until the last moment. That’s a scary thought!

To prevent hijackings, they had already put some measures in place, like air security officers and stronger cockpit doors. But it was a close call back in 2002 when a light plane almost got shot down by the RAAF.

That plane was heading towards a big meeting with world leaders but changed course just in time. It was a real wake-up call for everyone.

Then in September 2004, a car bomb went off outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta, killing ten people. Thankfully, no Australians were hurt, but it shook the government to its core.

After that, they scrambled to beef up security at embassies worldwide. They even decided to install blast-proof windows at all Australian diplomatic missions.

Relocating the embassy in Jakarta and the consulate in Bali became top priorities because of the ongoing threats from terrorist groups.

With the situation in Iraq also heating up, there were serious concerns about the safety of Australian troops and civilians there. It was a tense time, and the government was on high alert.