The Age
Fears Aussies could become hostages
Thu February 23, 2012 2:19pm
Indonesian police plan to move about 60 foreign prisoners from Bali's Kerobokan prison to prevent them becoming hostages.
Among the foreigners in the infamous prison are 12 Australians, including Schapelle Corby and the Bali Nine.
Several "tactical" vehicles have been moved close to the entrance of the jail, provincial military command spokesman Wing Handoko said.
They also plan to move about 120 women from the prison before they "clean it up".
Mr Handoko said they intended to evacuate the woman and foreign prisoners for their own safety.
He said authorities feared they would be taken hostage within the jail by "troublemakers".
Pressed on what would happen to the other 800 prisoners, Mr Handoko said that they would "clean it up", referring to the prison.
Earlier, prison and other sources have told Fairfax that the facility will be closed this afternoon and all 1015 prisoners moved out, including one police source that said the operation would begin 2pm (local time).
Senior police and military figures have been at the prison for much of the night after two nights of rioting that saw inmates seize control of the facility.
Earlier today, local time, a water cannon truck moved into the forecourt of the prison.
Army personnel amassed outside the walls of the desperately overcrowded prison at about 10am local time.
Sources have suggested that most of the prison's 1015 inmates will be moved by military aircraft to another location in Indonesia, understood to be Surabaya, on the island of Java.
Different scenarios were planned, including one that would leave more than 50 foreign prisoners in place at Kerobokan, including Australian drug traffickers Schapelle Corby and the Bali Nine.
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