Be aware, be very aware that claims made by Australian politicians, police and media in recent days about alleged terrorist activity might well turn out to be plain wrong or at least over-cooked. This is because there is a history in this country in recent years of hyperbole, sensationalism, paranoia and misconstruing of conversations and activities when it comes to reporting on and about Australia's anti-terror laws.

Back on November 8, 2005, when high profile raids conducted in Melbourne by police and ASIO resulted in the arrest of several men alleged to be involved in terrorist activity, the then police commissioner Christine Nixon said: "We were concerned that an attack was imminent and we believe that we have sufficient evidence to go before the courts to show that."

'Hysteria from politicians, police and the press helps no one in these tense times.'

There were media reports about Melbourne landmarks such as the Westgate Bridge, Flinders Street railway station and the MCG being targets for terrorist activity by this group of men.

The evidence in the lengthy court proceedings that culminated in a Supreme Court trial in 2008 showed nothing of the sort. The reference to the Westgate Bridge had been taken out of context and was completely innocent. There was simply no evidence of a plot to blow up Flinders Street station, and the reference to the MCG was in the context of a vague conversation between two of the accused.