The Beijing conspiracy

CHAPTER 71

C NN’s television images of the tanker fire and the burned out fuselages of the two 747s faded in front of a packed media conference in Canberra. The Prime Minister of Australia was visibly shocked as he addressed the nation. Flanked by a confused-looking Defence Minister and a grim-faced Chief of the Defence Force, the Prime Minister brought his speech to a close.

‘These terrorists are murderous barbarians who have no respect for human life and human dignity, and my government will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice.’

The Prime Minister faced a flurry of questions about the ability of hospitals to cope, what might happen to Sydney and how people who were still employed might get to work. Michelle Gillard, the journalist who had covered Professor Imran Sayed’s opening address at the bioterrorism conference, ignored the tabloid newspaper approach as to how the attack might affect the average worker in the street. She was asking the deeper questions about why this had happened.

‘Prime Minister, we’ve all seen the declassified reports in which no fewer than sixteen intelligence agencies in the United States have concluded that the war in Iraq was a very big mistake. Those reports claim that the war is providing a training ground for terrorists and is attracting more and more young Muslim suicide bombers to the fundamentalists’ cause. Will you finally concede that we’re now a bigger target because of our unqualified support for the United States war machine and that as a result of our policies in the Middle East, the Muslim fundamentalists are gaining strength around the world?’

The Prime Minister looked rattled. He responded angrily. ‘Now is not the time to be cutting and running from the war on terror. Now is the time to be redoubling our efforts to bring these terrorists to justice.’

‘We’ve heard reports, Defence Minister,’ another journalist asked, ‘that you and your advisors blocked the military’s decision to reduce their notice to move. I’ve heard claims that, had the military been authorised to move earlier, this attack might have been prevented. Can you comment on that?’

The Defence Minister blinked several times and looked even more confused. ‘Those sorts of questions are best answered by the military,’ he responded, looking at the Defence Chief.

The Chief of the Defence Force’s left eyebrow rose quizically. It was one of those classic media moments and another flash lit the room as one of the Herald’s most experienced photographers caught it for posterity. The relationship between the Defence Chief and his egotistical minister had just reached a new low and every journalist in the room knew it.

‘I think it would be unwise to speculate on rumour before we have a full and thorough report on what has been a dreadful and dark day in Australia’s history,’ the Defence Chief replied diplomatically. ‘I extend my personal condolences to those military families who’ve lost loved ones serving their country today and on behalf of the military, I extend our condolences to the wider community who’ve also suffered so tragically as a result of these attacks.’