Aus for laptop ban on flights

Canberra, May 17: Australia is considering following the United States and Britain in banning laptops from inbound airliner cabins, the prime minister said, but declined to explain whether the move was related to an Islamic State group threat that President Donald Trump discussed with Russian diplomats.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull revealed on Wednesday that his government was “looking ... very closely” at the bans on laptops and tablets on flights from some Middle Eastern countries announced by the US and Britain in March.

Questioned by reporters, Mr Turnbull refused to discuss the intelligence upon which a laptop ban was being considered or its source.

“As Prime Minister protecting our national security and the national interest, I have to be circumspect and discreet on matters of national security,” Mr Turnbull said. “My job is not to feed speculative commentary in the media.”

Australia would “work very closely with our partners around the world” in constantly reviewing aviation security, he said.

Mr Trump has been criticised for divulging classified information to Russians about the laptop threat posed by the Islamic State group.

Mr Turnbull declined to say whether that information had also been shared with Australia, which along the US, Britain, Canada and New Zealand makes up the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing network.

“I can assure you the relationship between Australia and the United States in terms of intelligence sharing is as close as it possibly could be and we have no concerns about any other country ... having privileged access to information we don’t have,” Mr Turnbull told reporters.

US President Donald Trump has been accused of disclosing classified information to Russian officials about an ISIS terrorist threat linked to use of laptops on aircraft.

AUSTRALIA PM did not comment on whether the same information had been shared with Australia