Canberra, Nov 19 (ANI): Increasing the presence of US military in Darwin is unlikely to make Australia more of a terrorist target than it already is, an expert has claimed.
University of Queensland Professor Marianne Hanson said the threat of a terrorist attack on Australian soil was always a possibility, but pointed out that it would not rise with an increased US Marines presence.
"In theory, of course, it canbe (a target) and it's quite possible, but you have to see it in context," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Prof Hanson, as saying.
"There are numerous American bases in numerous countries around the world and there isn't any reason why this base would be targeted any more than other bases," he added.
Hanson, however, said extremists were more likely to target the public in an attack than a military installation.
"The general view overall is that bases have not been targeted. If anything, terrorists focus more on atrocities that are aimed at the general public than at military personnel," the paper quoted Hanson, as saying.
"The history has tended to be one-off targeting members of the public because that is seen as a more terrifying threat. Aiming violence against those (the army) seen as enemy combatants doesn't seem to have the same shock factor," he said.
"That's not to rule out attacks on bases because they have happened," he added.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has recently announced that the US would boost its military activities in the nation from 2012 under an agreement, which would allow America to enhance its presence in the Asia Pacific region.
Under the deal, by 2016 Australia will regularly play host to a US Marine task force of 2500 troops, which for the first time will be given formal approval to train alone. (ANI)
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