Australia has announced a series of new anti-terrorism measures to boost security at home and abroad following the deadly bombing in Bali.

Hours after attending a memorial service for the estimated 94 Australians killed in the 12 October attack, Prime Minister John Howard said the move reflected growing dangers for Australians from international terrorists.

Australia's plans

Tighter visa controls More security officers on flights Greater intelligence gathering Better security at overseas posts

Mr Howard said he would personally take charge of the battle against terrorism, rejecting proposals for a US-style department of homeland security.

"The events in Bali have shown that Australia is not immune from the large-scale destruction of human lives that terrorist action can bring about," he told reporters.

Australia is also lobbying to get the United Nations Security Council to declare Islamic militant group Jemaah Islamiah (JI) as a terrorist group - blaming it for the Bali attack.

The US on Wednesday named JI a terrorist organisation, freezing any assets it might have in the US. The UK government is set to follow.

'Too ill'

Indonesia has not named JI as suspects in the Bali bomb, but it has linked the group with Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, which is blamed for last September's attacks in the US.

However, the official Antara news agency reported that Indonesia has written to the UN, urging it to designate JI a terrorist group.

Suspected militant Mr Ba'asyir is in custody

The Islamic cleric believed to be JI's leader remained under police guard in hospital on Thursday, with doctors saying he was too ill to be questioned.

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, who was rushed to hospital in the town of Solo last Friday, has been placed under custody for alleged involvement in a series of church bombings two years ago and in a suspected plot to kill President Megawati Sukarnoputri before she came to office.

Indonesian police want to have Mr Ba'asyir moved to Jakarta for questioning, or placed under house arrest.

However, police doctors have said Mr Ba'asyir is not ready to leave hospital.

"His lungs and heart are showing improvement but he still needs rest," said Dr Fathoni, a cardiologist.

Mr Ba'asyir, 64, has repeatedly denied links with terrorism and has denied that JI even exists.

Before the Bali bomb, Indonesia had resisted pressure from the US and other nations to crack down on JI, partly for fear of a backlash from Muslim radicals.

But following the bomb, it rushed through sweeping new anti-terrorism measures. It has also drawn up sketches of three possible suspects in the Bali bomb, though these have not been released to the media.

Australia announced its anti-terror plans following a national memorial service in the capital Canberra for those who died in the Bali bombing.

At a highly emotional service, the prime minister told bereaved relatives that "in every corner of 19.5 million Australian hearts there is a place for you and the person you have lost".