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CANBERRA - The Australian Senate committee hearing the latest allegations about the children overboard affair will invite four more witnesses to give evidence, but won't reveal who they are.
Committee chairman, Labour Senator Robert Ray, said it had been decided to keep secret the identities of the four.
Senator Ray said the
committee yesterday heard from former defence public servant Michael Scrafton, and retired defence officials Major General Roger Powell and Commander Michael Noonan.
After their evidence, the committee met in private to consider how to proceed.
"The committee has decided to invite four further witnesses to give evidence at a public hearing to be scheduled after the federal election," he said in a statement.
"The committee has agreed that the identity of those witnesses will remain confidential until the election has run its course."
Mr Scrafton yesterday stood by his claim that Prime Minister John Howard misled Australia over the children overboard affair, despite government attempts to discredit his story.
He repeated that he told Mr Howard there was no evidence to support suggestions children were thrown from a crowded refugee boat, that a video of the incident was inconclusive, and that no one in Defence believed children were thrown into the water.
His recollection was backed by Major General Powell and Commander Noonan, who interviewed him in December 2001 as part of an internal investigation into the affair.
Senator Ray said the hearing had been an important opportunity for additional information to go on the public record.
The committee will report its findings to parliament on November 7, about a month after the election.
- AAP
Herald Feature: Australian Election
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