Fijian Army official threatens to sue Goff

2:00 PM

A senior Fijian army official may sue over comments made by New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff regarding his alleged involvement in Thursday's mutiny by rebel soldiers at the Queen Elizabeth barracks in Suva.

Lieutenant-Colonel Filipo Tarakinikini said the allegations in Goff's statement to the media shortly after the mutiny were not true and were damaging to his reputation.

In the statement Mr Goff said there was some suspicion that the rebels wanted to install Lieutenant-Colonel Filipo Tarakinikini as military commander, replacing Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

"It is not absolutely clear if he is behind the move. But he appears to be the person the rebel force is backing," Mr Goff said.

Mr Goff said the fighting had been sparked by an investigation launched by Commodore Bainimarama into some 150 personnel in the armed forces for suspected involvement in the May 19 coup.

The statement was based on intelligence reports and cables from the New Zealand High Commission in Suva.

Earlier today Mr Goff urged caution over reports that former major general and 1987 coups leader Sitiveni Rabuka was behind Thursday's rebel attempt to take over Fiji's main army barracks.

Rabuka is denying any involvement.

Minister Phil Goff said one theory is that Thursday's mutiny was an isolated action by a small group of people facing court martial charges.

He said the second theory is that they were George Speight supporters keen to see the overthrow of the military.

Mr Goff said neither of the theories directly implicate Mr Rabuka at this stage.

A report today from Fiji's Daily Post on Fijilive.com said Colonel Rabuka is to be questioned by Fiji security forces after being stopped at a checkpoint on Thursday night carrying one of the wanted rebel soldiers.

Mr Rabuka was said to have picked up the rebel at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks where he had tried to negotiate a peaceful end to the rebels' attempted mutiny.

The report quoted sources claiming Mr Rabuka had since been banned from entering any military-owned premises but said that Major Howard Politini could not confirm this.

- IRN, Fiji Village News, Herald Online Staff,