Spy story ... federal police executed a search warrant today / File picture
Federal police raid journalist`s home
Philip Dorling wrote about Aussie spies
Story based on "classified briefing papers"
AUSTRALIAN Federal Police have raided the home of the Canberra Times journalist Philip Dorling this morning, with more than half a dozen officers still searching his property.
It is understood the execution of the search warrant follows a story Dorling wrote for the newspaper on June 14 in which he said Australian spies were targeting key nations, including Japan, China and North and South Korea.
The journalist cited his source as “classified briefing papers” prepared for Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon.
Dorling told The AustralianOnline this morning the search warrant was very broad and it was "not a pleasant experience".
"They`ve searched the ceiling, they`ve searched from one end of the house to the other. I would say the terms of the search warrant are very broad,” he said.
"They`re looking for stuff related to the Defence Intelligence Organisation and whether it relates to possible offences under the Crimes Act.
"They turned up at 8:30am, that`s seven AFP officers and another one arrived later in respect to a story I wrote for the Canberra Times on June 14.”
The AFP has confirmed today that it "executed a search warrant at Braddon and on a vehicle."
The raid was continuing and police would not provide any further information, citing “operational” matters.
China and North Korea execute indigenous spies. Hopefully none were compromised by this senseless act.
Posted by: Frank of Canberra 3:13pm today
These so called journalists go too far. The June story was not in the public interest and is none of their business. This Dorling broke the rules and most likely has endangered the safety of hard working undercover operatives who stick their life on the line for headline seekers such as Dorling. Wake up you media moraons...this is the 21 century and the world is in trrouble !
Posted by: Michael Fitzgerald of Gold Coast 3:12pm today
You all seem to have skipped over the bit wherethe writer himself says he used ¿classified briefing papers¿ as a source. It would be different if it was a random raid on Mr Joe Average. People have no right having stuff like that, nor do they have a right to publish it. Its security for all, and dont give me crap about a police state, free speech and FOI - we have it great. Just look at Nth Korea! Face it, there are things we dont need to know! Grow up people.
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