Roger Maynard, Sydney – The claim that Australia's spy agency passed on intelligence reports to the United States which implicate the Indonesian military in the West Papua mine ambush could add tension to the already uneasy relationship between Canberra and Jakarta.

Relations between the two countries have been under strain since masked security officers last week raided the homes of Indonesians living in Australia. Now, reports that Australia's Defence Signals Directorate gathered intelligence about the possibility of an attack on the Freeport gold and copper mine and gave the information to its US counterpart, could further sour relations. Two Americans were killed in the August 31 ambush at the mine, which the Indonesian military blamed on Papuan rebels. However, some security analysts expressed suspicion, saying the rebels did not have the kind of firepower used in the attack.

The Washington Post suggested that the US, with Australian input, obtained reliable intelligence about Indonesian military plans for an attack on the mine. Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill yesterday refused to confirm whether the spy agency had passed on information to Washington about the attack. "We don't comment on security matters," he said.

With Australia determined to get to the bottom of the Bali bombings and to identify those responsible for the attack, a lot is riding on maintaining a productive relationship with Jakarta. But that seems increasingly unlikely as the mood in Indonesia becomes distinctly anti-Australian.

Shadow foreign affairs minister Kevin Rudd, currently on a visit to Jakarta, said in an interview on Australian radio yesterday that "the tempo of the Indonesian media reporting on Australia is becoming more negative by the day".

The manner in which newspapers had reported the raids on Indonesian homes in Australia had fuelled anti-Australian sentiment, he claimed. Mr Rudd, who supported the raids, said Australian media coverage of the operation had offended some Indonesians. Jakarta believes the action was heavy-handed.