sped_kid01
FindWhatIsYet2BeFound
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=50314
Govt condemns embassy death threats
13:15 AEST Tue May 17 2005
AAP
The federal government has condemned death threats made to the Indonesian Embassy over the Schapelle Corby drug trial as disgraceful and counter-productive.
A spokesman for Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Tuesday said the government condemned the threats in the strongest possible way.
"If anyone thinks that they're helping Schapelle Corby's case with this sort of behaviour, they couldn't be further from the truth," he said.
"This sort of behaviour is most unhelpful to her case."
The Indonesian Embassy in Canberra has confirmed it has received several death threats in relation to the Corby case.
A spokesman from the embassy on Tuesday said Indonesian consulate officials across Australia had also been targeted with threatening letters and emails relating to the Corby case.
The spokesman said an on-going investigation was looking into a number of leads but he could not disclose specific details based on advice from the Australian Federal Police.
Corby, 27, has been accused of carrying more than four kilograms of cannabis into Bali.
A verdict on her trial is due on Friday week.
Meanwhile, the Australian and Indonesian governments are in talks to set up a prisoner exchange program, which could see Schapelle Corby jailed in Australia if convicted.
Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said Australia already had a transfer agreement with authorities in Thailand and negotiations were underway with the Indonesian government.
Such a scheme could include Corby, he said, if the Queensland woman was convicted of drug smuggling when a decision in her case is announced by judges in Bali later this month.
"We have had discussions with the Indonesians about the possibility of a prisoner transfer agreement," Mr Downer said during an ABC radio interview.
"They are well disposed to the idea, of course details will have to be negotiated and we have already sent them a draft text.
"Hopefully we can negotiate that reasonably quickly."
Mr Downer said it was important to note Corby, who was discovered entering Bali with a bag of marijuana in her boogie board bag, had not been convicted of drug smuggling.
He denied the federal government had obtained an agreement from Indonesian authorities that Corby would be found guilty of a lesser charge and serve the bulk of her prison sentence in Australia.
Mr Downer said the transfer program would cover any Australians serving prison terms within Indonesia, and he said there were about 11.
"This is not specifically related to the Schapelle Corby case because she has not been convicted," he said.
In another development, Corby's financial backer, Ron Bakir, has registered her name as a private company.
Mr Bakir has denied he will benefit financially and that while he was a director of Schapelle Corby Pty Ltd, he would not collect any money from the company.
Asked if he had set up the company to recoup his losses from financing Corby's legal fight against drugs charges in Bali, Mr Bakir told the Nine Network, "Absolutely not."
"That company receives not one dollar, receives not one dollar.
"Everything I do is in the interests of Schapelle Corby and only in the interests of Schapelle Corby.
"I will not be collecting any money from that whatsoever."
Mr Bakir said the company's shares were owned by the Schapelle Corby Trust, of which he is the trustee.
But he said Corby was in total control of the trust.
"She controls and ultimately owns the trust," he said.
"No-one can do anything without her approval. It's set up for the sole purpose of Schapelle Corby."
©AAP 2005
What are your thoughts on this?
Govt condemns embassy death threats
13:15 AEST Tue May 17 2005
AAP
The federal government has condemned death threats made to the Indonesian Embassy over the Schapelle Corby drug trial as disgraceful and counter-productive.
A spokesman for Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Tuesday said the government condemned the threats in the strongest possible way.
"If anyone thinks that they're helping Schapelle Corby's case with this sort of behaviour, they couldn't be further from the truth," he said.
"This sort of behaviour is most unhelpful to her case."
The Indonesian Embassy in Canberra has confirmed it has received several death threats in relation to the Corby case.
A spokesman from the embassy on Tuesday said Indonesian consulate officials across Australia had also been targeted with threatening letters and emails relating to the Corby case.
The spokesman said an on-going investigation was looking into a number of leads but he could not disclose specific details based on advice from the Australian Federal Police.
Corby, 27, has been accused of carrying more than four kilograms of cannabis into Bali.
A verdict on her trial is due on Friday week.
Meanwhile, the Australian and Indonesian governments are in talks to set up a prisoner exchange program, which could see Schapelle Corby jailed in Australia if convicted.
Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said Australia already had a transfer agreement with authorities in Thailand and negotiations were underway with the Indonesian government.
Such a scheme could include Corby, he said, if the Queensland woman was convicted of drug smuggling when a decision in her case is announced by judges in Bali later this month.
"We have had discussions with the Indonesians about the possibility of a prisoner transfer agreement," Mr Downer said during an ABC radio interview.
"They are well disposed to the idea, of course details will have to be negotiated and we have already sent them a draft text.
"Hopefully we can negotiate that reasonably quickly."
Mr Downer said it was important to note Corby, who was discovered entering Bali with a bag of marijuana in her boogie board bag, had not been convicted of drug smuggling.
He denied the federal government had obtained an agreement from Indonesian authorities that Corby would be found guilty of a lesser charge and serve the bulk of her prison sentence in Australia.
Mr Downer said the transfer program would cover any Australians serving prison terms within Indonesia, and he said there were about 11.
"This is not specifically related to the Schapelle Corby case because she has not been convicted," he said.
In another development, Corby's financial backer, Ron Bakir, has registered her name as a private company.
Mr Bakir has denied he will benefit financially and that while he was a director of Schapelle Corby Pty Ltd, he would not collect any money from the company.
Asked if he had set up the company to recoup his losses from financing Corby's legal fight against drugs charges in Bali, Mr Bakir told the Nine Network, "Absolutely not."
"That company receives not one dollar, receives not one dollar.
"Everything I do is in the interests of Schapelle Corby and only in the interests of Schapelle Corby.
"I will not be collecting any money from that whatsoever."
Mr Bakir said the company's shares were owned by the Schapelle Corby Trust, of which he is the trustee.
But he said Corby was in total control of the trust.
"She controls and ultimately owns the trust," he said.
"No-one can do anything without her approval. It's set up for the sole purpose of Schapelle Corby."
©AAP 2005
What are your thoughts on this?
