The "anti-terrorism" advertisement the other day was purposeless and offensive. It was a cruel mockery to include the words "tighter border security to detect unauthorised arrivals" in the list of government counter-terrorist measures.

No terrorists ever came to Australia by refugee boat. But terrorists did sink refugee boats.

The men who sabotaged and overloaded SIEV X by armed force on 19 October 2001, thereby murdering 353 innocent people, mostly women and children, were the "sting" agent Abu Quessai, and his Indonesian police accomplices.

The latter had been recruited, trained and paid for by the Special Intelligence Unit teams that were set up within the Indonesian Police Force under the Australian Federal Police's People Smuggling Disruption Program, commenced in September 2000.

The sinking of SIEV X was a planned disruption action. It was also a crime against humanity.

The Australian Senate knows this. The Australian Government knows this. That is why some in Canberra will be relieved when Abu Quessai walks free with his secrets today. That is why nothing has been done to prevent his release.

Next time you read a government anti-terrorism advertisement, reflect on these facts. Who are the real terrorists in our midst?