What a perplexing case. I can’t think of anyone who would want to smuggle pot out of Australia and into Indonesia- including baggage handlers. If it were about bribery, you’d think they’d choose one of the endless stream of scrummy looking folks travelling around instead of a nice somewhat-older woman. The only thing I can think of is it was terrorists trying to decrease tourism, but it seems odd to do so using an unclaimable crime and in a way that would highlight the faults of the judicial system in a Muslim country.
I sincerely doubt this was caused by Muslim extremists. It sounds like there’s ample room for doubt that Corby actually smuggled dope into Indonesia but, fair being fair, it’s happened before. I haven’t had any luck Googling it, but IIRC there was a case a decade or so back where an Englishman smuggled in some pot, even though the laws of Indonesia are notoriously draconian. I’m foggy on the details–even whether he was executed or not–but he was simply a casual/recreational pot smoker who brought in enough for his own use. He just underestimated how seriously the law would apply to him, but no matter–he got caught and faced the death penalty for it.
I’d guess it would be more likely someone planted the pot in Corby’s belongings, using her as an unwitting ‘mule’, rather than Muslim extremists looking for a flap.
I hope the Indonesian justice system works fairly and well for Corby. Damned if I know whether she’s actually guilty–sounds doubtful to me–but her situation is the stuff of nightmares.
Veb
There is a distinction between diplomatic efforts (which the Australian government are only now making and interference in the Indonesian legal system, which I never advocated. It looks like something approaching a prisoner-exchange agreement is finally on the table. But Corby and the Bali nine are very different situations, I reckon.
The above link might not work - basically it was a link to an SMH report that Attorney-General Ruddock is getting in on the act and negotiating with Indonesian officials regarding a prisoner-exchange program.
I think what the theory is is that someone planted it in her luggage in the airport she first departed from with the intent of having someone get it out of her luggage when she changed planes in Brisbane (or wherever she was changing planes domestically). They had at least one witness who testified to this because he’s heard of this scheme while in prison. He also said he heard someone bragging about being responsible for the Corby incident. He didn’t turn out to be a very good witness because he’s actually still in prison and he wouldn’t give any actual names for fear of retribution. So, in theory, the original intent was not for drug smugglers to have a mule to get pot from Australia to Indonesia, but rather to have someone unwittingly transport the pot across Australia.
When it appears supremely unlikely that the woman can get a fair trial (guilty until proven innocent?!) and is facing severe punishment for a crime that seems highly unlikely, why the hell shouldn’t Australia interfere with Indonesia’s legal system? If a random vacationer can be put to death with no real trial on a crime that probably didn’t happen, then Indonesia’s legal system fucking sucks. It’d be a violation of their sovereignty to go in and defend their own citizens from them, but I’d say Australia has an duty to “interfere in the Indonesian legal system” on behalf of one of its citizens. It’s not acceptable to just decide to let someone get put to death (or sentenced to life in prison) for no reason just to avoid diplomatic trouble.
He did give names. And the guy’s name he gave went on some News show and denied it. But that guy also got paid by the news show a load of money to come on, so the whole situation is muddied by crap.
But it seems clear to me that she is totally innocent because nobody could be that fundamentally stupid. And it’s a case of a dodgy transfer between baggage handlers at domestic Australian airports, a scheme that has probably happened hundreds of times before, and it all went wrong.
The real problem is how harsh the penalties are for something that barely deserves it. btw, Bites When Provoked, even though she is pretty, I think this would still be dominating the news for the whole death penalty angle.
I think people can be that fundamentally stupid, but it’s highly unlikely in this case. There are gaping holes in airport security, even for hapless travellers who dutifully keep an eagle eye trained on their baggage. Everything besides carry-ons must be surrendered into the hands of others. I haven’t the vaguest idea about the protocols pertaining to airline travel in other parts of the world recently because I haven’t flown there recently.
But even around here, even checked luggage must be left unlocked, and thus available for searching. The last time I flew domestically, my checked luggage was searched as a matter of security routine. They left a nice little card inside, explaining it all, which was perfectly okay–but the fact remained: many other hands than mine had officially sanctioned access to my checked luggage.
Maybe the process is much more sophisticated and seamless elsewhere–but I doubt it. While grim-faced officials examine my shoes, person and purse for potentially threatening items like fingernail clippers and cigarette lighters, god-knows-who has full access to my checked luggage. Plenty of room for reasonable doubt right there, IMO.
Though ‘chain of possession’ probably raises uncomfortable, and unwelcome, questions. Again, I hope the Indonesian justice system works well and honorably. I hope it doesn’t just settle for the one under arrest–and that’s not a slam, btw. I think most ‘justice’ systems are prone toward exactly that.
Veb
I’ve got to say, the whole “guilty until proven innocent” system is hardly unheard of. Mexico uses the same system, for example. Of course, the U.S. and Mexico have one of those treatises where the citizens of the country where the crime is done can serve the term in their own country, so those kind of laws are not uncommon either.
As I posted on another board (and I have yet to dig up a credible cite) there was a story floating around that the reason for the importation of dope into Bali was that the locally-grown stuff was piss-weak, and ex-pat Aussies (and others) were happy to pay top bucks for some decent smoke.
Interesting reading here, makes you think that maybe there are reasons the Australian Government doesn’t push too hard. Of course this is unrelated but it does get the idea through that trafficing drugs may not be a good thing. It also makes you realise that people CAN be executed even when they may be innocent of any charges. I’d agree though that she is probably innocent, either that or she’s just plain stupid. As others have pointed out she’d get killed by the exchange rate if not by the firing squad.
I have also heard rumours that customs officials in some countries are actually paid a bonus for finding and apprehending “smugglers.” I’m in no way stating this as fact but, it does make you wonder if this could really happen.
Don’t be buying your little green bag off Chiang Mai tuktuk drivers, that’s all I’m saying.