Australia deports RI fishermen<\/p>\n
PERTH, Australia: An Indonesian fisherman jailed over his role
\nin an infamous people-smuggling operation has been deported from
\nAustralia after his release from prison here, officials said
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
Norbames Nurdin, 32, was flown to Indonesia after serving 18
\nmonths of a four-year sentence for smuggling to Australia 433
\nasylum seekers who were rescued from their sinking wooden ferry
\noff Indonesia by the Norwegian freighter MV Tampa in August 2001.<\/p>\n
The Tampa became the focus of an international incident after
\nits captain, Arne Rinnen, was refused permission to land in
\nAustralia and the asylum seekers were sent to Pacific island
\nholding camps as part of what became Australia's so-called
\nPacific solution.<\/p>\n
Nurdin's lawyer Hylton Quail said the West Australian Court of
\nCriminal Appeal was still considering an appeal for the
\nconviction to be overturned.<\/p>\n
The fishing vessel's crew -- Nurdin, skipper Bastian Disun,
\n33, Aldo Benjamin, 22, and Aksal Junus, 18 -- were tried in
\nSeptember 2002 for smuggling people aboard the unseaworthy
\nIndonesian boat MK Palapa 1.<\/p>\n
Junus and Benjamin were acquitted after arguing they did not
\nknow they were bound for Australia, and had been recruited by
\npeople smugglers for only a one-day sailing job.<\/p>\n
Disun, who received a seven-year jail term with a non-parole
\nterm of three years, remains in jail and is likely to be deported
\nin 18 months after the prosecution lost an appeal last month for
\na longer sentence. --AFP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/australia-deports-ri-fishermen-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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