24 Nov 2006

Fiji police to focus on those inciting military commander to act against government

6:25 am on 24 November 2006

Fiji police will now focus their investigations on those individuals, organisations and groups inciting the military commander and his senior officers into acting against the government.

The commissioner, Andrew Hughes, says in 1987 there were shadowy figures behind Sitiveni Rabuka and in 2000 there were others behind George Speight manipulating and influencing events.

Mr Hughes their intelligence has confirmed that similar people have been actively involved in exploiting the military and advising it on its threats to clean up the government.

Mr Hughes says they have been inciting and manipulating the commander and the others to do what they have been doing.

He says the next phase of their investigations will be targeting these individuals and groups so they can be dragged out into the sunlight.

Mr Hughes says he wants to warn all those involved in some form of conspiracy to destabilize or remove the government to think again.

The commissioner also warned that if there are any plans to form an interim government and take over the leadership of the country, those involved will face the same fate as those who took illegal oaths during the Speight coup.

He says if people have been approached and are contemplating taking up a position in some interim government, they should forget it.

Reports say at least at least 10 politicians, civil servants and former military officers are under investigation.