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Last Updated: May 8, 2008 - 2:53:48 PM |
A statement released by the Australian High Commission yesterday said two copies of an anonymous written threat were delivered to the Australian High Commission on Wednesday night.
The statement said the threat appeared to be politically motivated and directed at Mr Batley.
Officers from the Special Police Unit have been deployed to the High Commission office and the residence.
Police spokeswoman Ema Mua said a letter containing death threats against Mr Batley was delivered to security guards at the High Commission on Princes Road at 8pm on Wednesday by a taxi driver.
"At this moment, the security of the Australian Ambassador and the High Commission is paramount and we have deployed police officers to the embassy and the Australian Ambassador's residence," she said.
Another police spokesperson, Atunaisa Sokomuri, said the taxi driver was identified and interviewed by police yesterday. Security has been beefed up since Wednesday.
"We have been able to identify the taxi driver and after questioning him we found out that he was hired by a Fijian man wearing a bula shirt from the Kundan Singh Supermarket in Tamavua," Mr Sokomuri said.
He said the taxi driver told police that the man asked him to take him to the Australian High Commission and requested the driver to drop a letter with the security at the gate.
"The taxi driver said he did not know what was in the letter as it was sealed in an envelope and he delivered it to the security guard at the gate," he said. Mr Sokomuri said the taxi driver then drove the man to Suva and dropped him near the Colonial War Memorial Hospital's new wing.
The Australian High Commission said the threat appeared to be politically-motivated by a person or people who objected to the Australian Government's current policy on Fiji.
The statement said neither the High Commission nor the Australian Government would be intimidated by threats.
"The High Commission wishes to express its thanks for the speedy response from the Fiji Police, and for the reassurances it has received from senior government officials," said the statement.
Mr Sokomuri said the fact that the High Commission had immediately notified the police upon receiving the letter had resulted in a speedy reaction with officers deployed to provide security for the High Commission and the High Commissioner.
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