news.independent.co.uk
Kathy Marks, The Independent, SYDNEY- Australia has heightened national security amid fears of a terrorist attack by Islamic militants based in south-east Asia, particularly Indonesia. However, most analysts believe that the risk, particularly from shipping, is minimal.

Don Rothwell, a professor of international law at Sydney University, said Australia was entitled to monitor ships beyond the 200-nautical mile limit of its territorial waters.

But he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: "With the exception of pirate ships and ships that are not flying flags, and one or two very minor exceptions, there is no real basis upon which any country can just stop any ship at all on the highs seas because it does infringe this fundamental freedom of high seas navigational freedom.


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