Missing ammonium nitrate shows `no evidence of terrorism’

<p>Ammonium nitrate that disappeared from a Pacific National train near Newcastle last month was likely to have spilled onto the tracks, the New South Wales Counter Terrorism Command now believes.</p> <p><em>Lloyd’s List DCN</em> reported on Tuesday (October 31) that the attempted theft from the train on October 6 was considered too coincidental to be the work of terrorists.</p> <p>An insider said thieves had broken into the container using a crowbar while it was waiting in a rail siding, but were unlikely to have had enough warning that the train would stop there.</p> <p>It was believed to be only the third time in about 14 years that the train, which operates between Brisbane and Kalgoorlie, had stopped in the Glendale junction.</p> <p>The decision to stop there was made just a few minutes before the train entered the siding not enough time, the source said, to coordinate the theft of 400 kg of the explosive.</p> <p>NSW Counter Terrorism Command assistant commissioner Nick Kaldas said yesterday (Thursday, November 2) it appeared that the chemical substance &#8211 known to be used in both Bali bombings &#8211 had disappeared as a result of spillage.</p> <p>"We’ve conducted quite extensive inquiries in relation to that matter, in fact including a re-enactment of the event," Mr Kaldas said.</p> <p>"We’re reasonably confident at this stage that if anything was stolen, it would have been a very small amount.</p> <p>"There is no evidence to suggest that there was any terrorism link to it, and there’s absolutely no evidence to suggest that particular commodity was targeted by those who broke into that area."</p> <p>About 1m tonnes of ammonium nitrate is transported around Australia each year, most of it by rail.</p> <p>The chemical is used predominantly as a mining explosive, while about 40,000 tonnes is used to make fertiliser. </p> <br />