Australian to deny anti-Israel plot

Mr Roche has defended Osama Bin Laden as "innocent until proven guilty"

A British-born man has appeared in court in the Australian city of Perth charged with plotting to blow up Israeli diplomatic missions in Sydney and Canberra.

Jack Roche, a 49-year-old Muslim convert who had previously claimed to have received training from al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, appeared in Perth Magistrate's Court amid tight security and wearing handcuffs.

His lawyer, Robert Mazza, said Mr Roche would plead not guilty to two charges of conspiring to bomb the Israeli embassy in Canberra and Israel's consulate in Sydney between February and May 2000.

Mr Roche made no plea for bail and was remanded in custody until February, when he is expected to formally enter his plea.

Bali probe

He was arrested in November after his home was raided by federal agents as part of Australia's anti-terrorist crackdown in the aftermath of the Bali bombings.

Australia and other governments have linked the attacks, which killed more than 180 people, to the Asian network of Jemaah Islamiah, which they have labelled a terrorist organisation.

In media interviews prior to his arrest, Mr Roche said he had undergone explosives training with the al-Qaeda network in Afghanistan and had tried to recruit other Australians to the cause.

At Monday's hearing the prosecution successfully applied for a suppression order on certain aspects of the case.