HARI RAYA GIFT FOR 10 INDONESIANS ACCUSED OF PEOPLE SMUGGLING

MELBOURNE, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- Australia gave 10 Indonesian men who helped
bring asylum seekers to Australia a perfect Hari Raya gift by releasing them
without charges.

The 10, among 216 alleged people smugglers being held in Australian
immigration detention centres, were released under Australian Federal Police
(AFP) discretionary powers based on their personal circumstances without facing
people smuggling charges, the Age newspaper reports.

First offenders face a mandatory five years' jail, with a non-parole period
of three years, the newspaper said, but supporters say those being held are poor
Indonesian fishermen who were tricked by the real smugglers into breaking the
law.

The AFP declined to comment on the allegations.

In a statement, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions said the
AFP freed the men "based upon the personal circumstances of the particular
individuals and their role in ventures".

"In making that decision, the AFP took into account the public interest
factors set out in the prosecution policy of the Commonwealth," the statement
said.

-- BERNAMA