Australia on Tuesday announced stricter security checks, including fingerprinting and face-scanning, for visitors from about 10 high-risk countries in a bid to counter terrorism.

Aus plans to face-scan visitors from 10 countries

Australia on Tuesday announced stricter security checks, including fingerprinting and face-scanning, for visitors from about 10 high-risk countries in a bid to counter terrorism.

Unveiling a new counter terrorism white paper that targeted unnamed ten nations, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd also said Australia faces a rising threat of home-grown terrorism as well.

The white paper says visitors from 10 countries which are assessed as a serious security risk will be fingerprinted and face-scanned. However, it did not name the targeted countries. But, Rudd said Somalia and Yemen had been identified as two countries where the threat of Islamic extremism was growing.

"Terrorism continues to pose a serious threat and a serious challenge to Australia's security interests. That threat is not diminishing," Rudd said. "In fact, the government security intelligence agencies assess that terrorism has become a persistent and permanent feature of Australia's security environment. These agencies warn that an attack could occur at any time," Rudd was quoted as saying by local media.

Australia's moves come amid security concerns in Western countries following the failed attempt by a Nigerian man to blow up a US-bound airliner on Christmas Day.

Rudd said "some of the threat that Australia now faces come from the Australian born, the Australian educated and Australian residents." The white paper also announced a new visa arrangement for the targeted nations.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith conceded the enhanced visa processing arrangements - to be introduced at a cost of USD 69 million over four years - may require Australia to engage in a diplomatic effort with the nominated countries.

"So far as the enhanced visa processing arrangements are concerned, we expect the rollout to be in about 10 countries. We're not of course identifying those countries until the actual rollout occurs," Smith said.

Since 2001, 38 people have been prosecuted as a result of counter-terrorism operations in Australia, 20 have been convicted of terrorism offences under the criminal code and over 40 Australians have had their passports revoked or denied for reasons relating to terrorism.

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