Fed: Black hawk crews have Xmas/New Year leave cancelled

00-00-0000
Fed: Black hawk crews have Xmas/New Year leave cancelled

By Janelle Miles

BRISBANE, Dec 20 AAP - Army Black Hawk helicopter crews and support staff based innorth Queensland have had their Christmas/New Year leave cancelled.

A defence force spokesman today confirmed members of the 500-strong Townsville-basedFifth Aviation Regiment had been placed on a "high state of alert".

"It certainly behoves the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to be at a high state of preparationand that's what we'll be doing," the ADF spokesman said.

Federal Liberal member for Herbert, Peter Lindsay, said some members of the regimenthave had their Christmas/New Year leave revoked "in the interests of the country".

The move, involving a significant proportion of the regiment, is understood to involveextra anti-terrorist training.

It follows recent warnings of possible terrorist attacks in Australia and comes asAustralia prepares for a possible war in Iraq.

"We would want our ADF to be prepared for any eventuality," Mr Lindsay said.

"It's quite a significant operation to bring crews back off their Christmas break butit's in the interests of our country."

Australia's Black Hawk helicopters are used in close liaison with the Special Air Servicesregiment, based in Perth.

Prime Minister John Howard yesterday announced special forces would be expanded with300 commandoes, to be attached to a battalion outside Sydney.

AAP jhm/was/sb Y

KEYWORD: TERROR LEAVE