Australia Defends Police Involvement In Arrests Of Drug Suspects

AUSTRALIA DEFENDS POLICE INVOLVEMENT IN ARRESTS OF DRUG SUSPECTS SYDNEY -- The Australian government on Wednesday defended a decision by the Australian Federal Police to tip off Indonesian authorities about nine Australians arrested in Indonesia for alleged drug smuggling. Justice Minister Chris Ellison said if the situation had been reversed and Indonesian drug-running suspects had been allowed to leave Australia to return home, it would have been an "outrage." "We cannot dictate to the Indonesian police what they should or should not do," Ellison told Perth's 6PR Radio. Indonesian police detained the nine Australians aged between 18 and 29 Sunday night on suspicion of drug trafficking. The Australian Associated Press quoted Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty as saying Indonesian authorities had to be alerted about the alleged drug ring because of cooperation agreements. The comments follow criticisms that the Australian police should not have facilitated the arrests of the Australians in Indonesia, which supports capital punishment. Civil libertarians say they should have been arrested in Australia where, even if found guilty, they cannot be executed. The head of Indonesia's drug squad, Col Bambang Sugiarto, said Tuesday the nine would face a firing squad if convicted.