Sydney, Nov. 3 (AP): Prime Minister John Howard has rejected as "ridiculous" claims that his warning of a possible terrorist attack on Australia was timed to deflect attention from two controversial pieces of legislation.

Speaking before the nation yesterday, Howard warned that Australian officials had received "specific intelligence" that terrorists were plotting an attack on Australian soil, but refused to give any details about the threat, saying he did not want to jeopardize counterterrorism operations.

The announcement came as Howard's centre-right coalition government was preparing to introduce legislation overhauling Australia's labour laws in Parliament yesterday.

Howard has come under fire from labour unions over the proposed reforms, and polls have suggested the public is deeply suspicious that they will reduce job security and work conditions.

The terror warning also came as Howard defended mounting criticism from state leaders as well as legal and civil rights groups over a proposed tightening of the country's anti-terrorism laws, which the government wants to see pushed through Parliament before Christmas.

Senators and callers to a conservative talk show programme today suggested Howard had timed the terror warning to draw the public's attention away from the proposed laws, a notion Howard soundly rejected.

"The idea that yesterday was some giant manipulative conspiracy is ridiculous, Howard told Sydney radio station 2UE.