Court told Indon skipper thought boat people coming for `picnic

AAP General News (Australia)
01-12-2000
Court told Indon skipper thought boat people coming for `picnic

An Indonesian skipper charged with bringing 86 boatpeople to Australia has told Federal
Police he thought the foreigners were going for a picnic on Ashmore Reef, 800km west of
Darwin.

The Northern Territory Supreme Court has heard that the skipper, known as HARSONO,
was going to leave the 86 Afghans on Ashmore Reef with biscuits and water, and go back
to Indonesia.

HARSONO has told police he thought he was taking them for a picnic.

But the court's been told another crew member says he knew where they had been …