Al-Qaida Targets U.S., UK, Australia This Year

South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) told its Parliament this past week, quoting a "senior" al-Qaida member arrested last month, that the U.S. and Australia are the top terror targets this year, a South Korean news agency reported Sunday.

South Korea, Japan and the Philippines are secondary targets, the NIS claimed.

"According to NIS, this terrorist testified that South Korea, Japan and the Philippines are secondary targets, while the United States, Britain and Australia are the prime targets for this year," a lawmaker said.

NIS did not reveal the name of the al-Qaida member, where he was arrested or what country handed over the information, according to the lawmaker sitting on the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee, who requested anonymity.

The comments come after the 'Financial Times' quoted French Investigating Magistrate Jean-Louis Bruguiere as saying that an Asia-Pacific financial center such as Sydney, Tokyo or Singapore could be targeted by al-Qaida extremists.

NIS told the committee that security officials were on alert for attacks in South Korea, which is hosting an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the southern port of Busan in November.

South Korea, Japan and Philippines have all contributed troops to the U.S.-led war in Iraq. South Korea, which like Japan hosts U.S. military bases, has 3,600 troops in Iraq, the third-largest contingent after the U.S. and Britain.