Skipper jailed for smuggling

Skipper jailed for smuggling

PERTH, Australia (AFP): An Indonesian fishing boat skipper has been jailed for almost four years after being caught smuggling human cargo into Australia, reports here said Friday.

Suaman Bin Tasar, 53, pleaded guilty in the Christmas Island Magistrate's Court to charges of putting to sea in a dangerous vessel and endangering the lives of his crew and 13 boat people.

Christmas Island, south of Java in the Indian Ocean, is administered by Australia.

Tasar was sentenced Friday to three years, 11 months jail, while two of his crew, Jamadi Bin Ilam, 33, and Dede Jono, 22, were jailed for 16 months.

They arrived at Christmas Island last month with 13 boat people, nine Iraqis and four Algerians, on board their fishing boat.

The boat people have been transferred to a detention center at Port Hedland, in the north-west of Western Australia, where they are being questioned by Australian officials before a decision is made about their futures.