Two Indonesians jailed in Australia

Two Indonesians jailed in Australia

PERTH, Australia (AFP): Two Indonesians have been jailed in Western Australia for smuggling 140 Middle Eastern boat people from Java to Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean.

Rusdin Ali, 44, received a four-and-a-half year sentence, and 21-year-old man Darmondo was imprisoned for three years.

They were sentenced late Tuesday at the South Hedland District Court, in Western Australia's northwest.

The court was told the pair sailed an Indonesian fishing boat equipped with high-tech navigational aids and loaded with Iraqis and Kuwaitis and one Kurd.

They were arrested when they arrived at Christmas Island, which is administered by Australia, on Aug. 13 last year.

The men claimed in court they had been persuaded to sail the boat after accepting jobs for what they believed was taking a tour boat around the Indonesian islands.

They said they were approached by a wealthy Arab and an Indonesian and offered about A$1,000 (US$636).

When they realized they were on a course away from Indonesia, they said they were threatened with knives by two Iraqis when they tried to turn the boat around.

The illegal immigrants had paid an average of A$3,000 to be smuggled to Australia, the court heard.