An Indonesian group linked to the al-Qaeda network held a high-level meeting last month in Indonesia, possibly to identify new terrorist targets, The Australian newspaper reported.

Citing unidentified intelligence sources, the newspaper Friday said the meeting involved members of four cells of Jemaah Islamiyah, a radical Islamic group blamed for killing 202 people in a car bombing last October.

The meeting included a former resident of Australia, Abdul Rahim Ayub, who reportedly heads a Jemaah Islamiyah cell responsible for actions in Australia, the newspaper said.

Prime Minister John Howard said he was aware of reports on the meeting, but could not confirm them. "There are reports of it, yes. I think I'd say I can't confirm or deny it," he said on commercial radio. "But what I can say, very definitely, is that we don't have any additional information indicating a specific new threat to Australia," he said.

Ayub left Australia soon after the October 12 bombing on the Indonesian resort island of Bali that killed 88 Australians. His wife and children followed soon afterwards and are believed to be living in Indonesia.

Australia has been on a high terrorism alert since the Bali bombing and due to threats by Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network to attack the country.