As the country reels following news of the overnight execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, fingers are beginning to point at the Australian Federal Police.
The man who alerted the Australian Federal Police (AFP) of the Bali Nine’s drug smuggling plans says the authority is partly responsible for the deaths, with outraged social media users have taken to Twitter to express their disgust over the authority’s involvement.
Some took to Twitter to express their outrage, and suggested the AFP “have blood on their hands” – a sentiment expressed across a number of tweets, from varying voices (below).
Barrister Bob Myers, a family friend of Scott Rush, recalled in an article for news.com.au this morning that he told the authority of the Bali Nine’s plans in 2005, in an effort to prevent Rush from committing a crime.
To his disbelief, the AFP used that information to alert Indonesian authorities – a move that ultimately lead to Chan and Sukumaran’s death, Mr Myers said.
Read more: Vale, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
“The fact is they should have never even been there,” Mr Myers wrote for news.com.au today, after it was confirmed the pair had been executed by firing squad.
“There is no doubt that the Federal Police had knowledge that the information that they were providing to the Indonesian authorities would likely result in the loss of Australian lives…
“I find it difficult to accept that a Government who has now, and had then, in place strict guidelines in relation to cooperation with our foreign neighbours, where there was a risk of the imposition of the death penalty, cannot now approach such a friendly nation and ally and seek, in the light of the complete disregard and disobedience of such Guidelines, a return of these nine citizens to Australia to be dealt with in accordance with Australian law.
“There was no justification for the actions of the Police in this instance.”
Related content: ‘Boycott Indonesia’: The world reacts to the executions of two Australian men.
Myers ended his op-ed with a plea for the Australian government to act. “Silence on the part of the Australian Government at this time condones the actions of the Federal Police,” he wrote.
Former diplomat Bruce Haigh also said the AFP’s involvement in the execution “needs investigation”.
“The AFP should never have shopped them, and having done so they should have done everything in their power to overturn this outcome. But they didn’t because their writ is to deal with the corrupt Indonesian police, naval and army personnel to prevent boats coming to Australia,” Haigh wrote for news.com.au this morning.
“They are embedded; they are almost part of the system,” he added.
Meanwhile, angry Australians have taken to social media to express their disgust.
“They have blood on their hands,” Mark (@WorldofMarkyD) tweeted.
“The Australian Federal Police has the blood of two Australians on its hands today,” Leo D’Angelo Fisher (@DAngeloFisher) weighed in.
Some of the backlash on social media this morning (post continues after gallery):
Palmer United Party leader Clive Palmer announced in a press conference this morning that he will sponsor a bill, the Foreign Death Penalty Offences Act of 2015, that would make it an offence for Australian authorities to refer drug smuggling cases to countries that may impose the death penalty.
“This act, I think, will play a critical role in ensuring that these things don’t happen again,” Mr Palmer said.
“We can’t do much for the people that have lost their lives or their families, but we can ensure that they are like a beacon of hope for those who go after them to ensure this doesn’t happen again and Australian public servants or officer we employ with taxpayer’s money do carry out their duties in the best interests of Australians.”
Earlier in the week, human rights advocate Julian Burnside QC – who has long been vocal in his opposition to the death penalty – also tweeted his condemnation of the AFP, writing:
“It’s a pity the Australian Federal Police are not being fully held to account for dobbing Chan and Sukumaran in to Indonesian police”.
The sentiment was retweeted more than 660 times and favourited more than 580 times.
Dozens responded to Burnside’s tweet, with one social media user writing: “(It’s) not a pity-a crime! They have blood on their hands. Really wonder how they can sleep at night…”
“Couldnt agree more Julian. Just deplorable,” another Twitter user wrote.
Yet another user tweeted: “They could/should have arrested them in Australia. Australia should never ever do this.”
Do you blame the AFP for Chan and Sukumaran’s execution?
Do you have a story to share? Email news@mamamia.com.au
The world reacts to the executions.
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The TV moment that left us all in disbelief last night.
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The self-portrait that says more than a thousand words about how it feels to face death.
“My life is an absolute waste”: A letter from Andrew Chan.
Related content: Julie Bishop – “Myuran and Andrew deserve to live.”
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Top Comments
Yes I blame the Federal police. Compare this case: in 2003 an American millionaire was convicted in a Queensland court of murdering his wife in north Queensland, the sentence later changed to manslaughter, and he was sent to a Queensland jail. When United States authorities applied for his extradition, Australian police would not release him until they had a guarantee from the US that he would not be executed if found guilty. The US authorities gave the guarantee. He was extradited, re-tried for murder in an Alabama court (Alabama has the death penalty), and the case was dismissed. The guidelines have been there for the Australian Federal police all along!! My question is, does a lawbreaker have to be an American millionaire for the Federal police to stick to the rules? And was there a bit of racism involved in their conduct towards Andrew and Myuran, I wonder? Apologists for the Federal police, think about it.
Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the death penalty or not, it angers me that so many people ARE angry at the AFP. What a ridiculous concept to expect the AFP not to act on criminal tip offs, obviously they are going to do this in the way they think is most efficient to catch the criminals. Imagine if they waited till Australia and discovered that the drug dealers got away at Sydney or flushed the drugs away on the plane or planted the drugs on someone else or took someone hostage on the plane or any of the other possibilities that criminals may do, because after all they are criminals and may be capable of doing anything.
Imagine if the AFP had done nothing and any one of those scenarios played out social media would have erupted at how incompetent the AFP was and how they have blood on their hands for not doing anything!
And apart from all of that police have to rely on other countries police too for information and cooperation, if the AFP don't pass information on and cooperate with other police forces how helpful do you think those countries will be with the AFP?
If you disagree with the death penalty then that's a seperate issue, but don't blame the AFP for doing their job.