The Wire

A former analyst for the Office of National Assessments and foreign affairs advisor to ex-Labor Leader Simon Crean says claims of a pro-Indonesia bias in Australia’s intelligence agencies is baseless. This claim stands in stark contrast to the opinion of Lieutenant Colonel Lance Collins a whistleblower in the Australian army. Last night, ABC TV aired his views in a documentary in which he accused the Australian army, intelligence services and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of acting not in Australia’s interest but in Jakarta’s. Collins was head of intelligence during Australia’s deployment of peacekeeping troops in East Timor and was hand picked for the job by former head of the Defense Force Peter Cosgrove. He alleges that in the lead up to East Timor’s vote for independence in 1999 Australian intelligence sources were aware of a build of pro-Indonesian militia but did not report this for fear of upsetting their political masters. When he continued to submit reports implicating the Indonesian military in atrocities officials at the Defense Intelligence Organisation cut a satellite link that provided intelligence to Australian troops for 24 hours. A report by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Ian Carnell found the cut had been intentional but cleared head of DIO, Frank Lewincamp of personal responsibility. Mr Carnell’s report is with the Defence Minister Robert Hill who has not released it publicly. Former Simon Crean advisor Dr Carl Ungerer spoke to Michael Atkin about why he disagrees with the claims made by Lance Collins.