Scary




Wed 1 Jun 2005



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9:05am (UK)
"Biological Agent" Sent to Indonesian Embassy in Canberra

"PA"


Indonesia's embassy in Australia was closed today after a suspicious
package containing what authorities described as a "biological
agent" was delivered there. Top government officials quickly linked
the incident to popular outrage over the conviction in Bali of an
Australian woman on drug smuggling charges.

Prime Minister John Howard, who apologised to Indonesia for the
incident, said the agent was a powder sent in an envelope addressed to
the Indonesian ambassador, Imron Cotan.


"It would be the first time if the preliminary results are confirmed,
such a biological agent has been sent in Australia," Howard told
reporters.

The leafy street outside the embassy was cordoned off by police and
firefighters and ambulance staff were milling around outside. The
street is in a neighbourhood dotted with diplomatic posts - the US
embassy is only about 100 yards from the Indonesian embassy, but was
not affected by the evacuation. The French embassy is next door.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told Parliament in Canberra today
that the incident meant it was possible "the Indonesian embassy will
be shut down for quite some period of time and the 22 staff will remain
in isolation for the next 48 hours."

Downer gave no details on the nature of the biological agent, but he
blamed the security scare on public anger over the conviction in Bali,
Indonesia last week of an Australian woman on drug smuggling charges.

The embassy had earlier received threats and requested additional
security ahead of the conviction of 27-year-old Schapelle Corby who was
sentenced to 20 years in prison last Friday for smuggling 9lbs of
marijuana to the Indonesian resort island of Bali in October last year.

"We condemn this sort of abuse and we urge people who are concerned
about Schapelle Corby to ensure they put their energy into supporting
(her) legal defence team," Downer said.

Howard echoed the Downer's words, saying the situation "will do
great damage in the eyes of many Indonesian people to the relationship
between our countries and it certainly won't help Schapelle Corby."

Corby pleaded innocent and is appealing her conviction and sentence,
which have provoked an unprecedented backlash in Australia, with
supporters appealing for a boycott of Bali to protest her plight.

A police spokeswoman confirmed that a sample of the package's
contents had been taken for analysis.

"A sample has been taken off site but whether that is the entire
package, I'm not sure," the spokeswoman said.

She could not say how the package was delivered or why it was initially
regarded as suspicious.