A list of names, nationalities, passport numbers, social security numbers and purported addresses of suspected and convicted terrorists is available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) website.

The department says the information has always been available.

But Queensland Liberal senator Russell Trood is concerned such sensitive intelligence has been made public.

"The Government needs to explain why this list has been published and the compelling reasons for revealing passport numbers, social security numbers and residential addresses of foreign nationals,'' Senator Trood said today.

The 1300-page list starts with former Afghan prime minister and high-ranking Taliban leader Mohammad Rabani, who is described as "chairman of the ruling council''.

Rabani died in 2001, reportedly from cancer.

Under law, the list has to be personally signed off by Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.

"There appears to be no good reason to have much of this information in the public domain, not least because it is highly possible that the published information could be subverted,'' the senator said.

On its website, DFAT says the Government has passed laws that make it a criminal offence to hold assets that are owned or controlled by terrorist organisations or individuals, or to make assets available to them, in compliance with United Nations treaties.

Under the sub-heading What Australian Businesses and Australians Need to Know, DFAT provides the list of individuals and groups to which this terrorist asset-freezing regime applies.

It is not clear that the UN treaties call for the intelligence to be made public, however.

Six Canadian, 16 British, eight French and 18 US nationals are identified in the list, along with hundreds from Iraq, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Malaysia, Indonesia and Syria.

The document also lists front companies suspected of working with militant organisations including al-Qaeda and al-Shabbab.

Ten of the British nationals listed are recorded as "currently imprisoned''.

Senator Trood said he was concerned about the legal implications of publishing the names of individuals who are yet to be charged with any crime.

"The Australian Government should be careful about compromising our diplomatic relationships with their countries,'' he said.

"Keeping such details out of the public forum might be a well-considered and simple start.''

The Australian: 3 December