[Extracted from Senate Legal & Constitutional Committee Estimates, 24 May 2005]

Senator BARTLETT-Just briefly, in the trial that is happening - and again I am not wanting to cut across or interfere with anything there - in Brisbane at the moment concerning somebody accused of involvement in the SIEVX tragedy, a number of witnesses to date have given evidence which is consistent with what has been said before in the public arena about the involvement of Indonesian men, armed and in uniform - apparently police or military-and also the Indonesian coastguard. Has there been any new information over recent months since this was last raised at estimates that sheds any more light from the point of view of the AFP about the involvement of Indonesian officials in this event?

Mr Keelty-Unfortunately, I think that, if we were to comment on that, that would actually be a commentary on the evidence before the court in Queensland. I do not think we would be able to do that.

Senator BARTLETT-I will have to put that on ice for a little while as well. In relation to that trial more broadly, I presume the AFP, as part of the investigation, has provided such evidence as has been necessary to help back up the prosecution. Are you just monitoring how that trial unfolds in terms of the evidence - that is, once it is before the court, you do not have any specific involvement beyond seeing how it plays out?

Mr Keelty-No. We are responsible for putting the matters before the court in pursuit of the persons involved in SIEVX, but obviously we are monitoring the court outcome very closely given that we are the people who provided the information for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions to launch the prosecution.

Senator BARTLETT-I might leave that one bobbing for a little while as well until the courts proceed further down the track.

X-URL: http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/commttee/S8314.pdf

Back to sievx.com