Indonesian embassy substance 'unlikely' to be dangerous

Special hazardous chemical experts outside the Indonesian embassy in Australia's capital Canberra yesterday. Picture / Reuters

SYDNEY - The bacteria sent in a suspicious package to the Indonesian embassy in Canberra is not believed to be dangerous, police said today.

"It looks very unlikely that the substance contains any bacteria of any significant pathological significance," ACT chief police officer John Davies told reporters.

Mr Davies said the findings were revealed in an interim report and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

"The sending of that particular letter was designed to cause major disruption and instil fear," he told reporters.

The package was opened by the secretary to Indonesian Ambassador Imron Cotan, who was not present at the time, and sparked a full-scale emergency yesterday. Up to 50 staff members were quarantined for 12 hours in the building while they were decontaminated. They were allowed to leave late last night, with none showing signs of sickness.

Mr Davies said a team of investigators was working in Victoria on the case and being assisted by Victorian police.

The government has confirmed the suspect letter was sent from Victoria with an accompanying note written in Indonesian.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard earlier today refused to detail the contents of the letter but said he had no reason not to believe it was linked to Corby's conviction for drug smuggling in Bali.

There was speculation yesterday that the letter was sent as a reprisal for the 20-year sentence handed to former Gold Coast beauty student Schapelle Corby for smuggling 4.1kg of marijuana into Bali.

Mr Davies said he was not sure if final test results would be available today.

He would not speculate on the motive behind the threat but said the Corby case could not be ruled out.

The federal government and Opposition have condemned the incident. 



Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the Indonesian embassy would remain closed today while an Australian Federal Police investigation continued.

But he said the incident had done Corby's legal appeal and the Australia-Indonesia relationship no favours.

"For whatever reason the event does do great damage in the eyes of many Indonesian people to our relationship," he told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

"From the reports I have read in Indonesia, this has occasioned greater publicity and brought greater attention to the Corby matter than has previously been the case.

"People will draw all sorts of conclusions and it has the potential to do our bilateral relationship all sorts of harm."

In response to the envelope an Indonesia government spokesman said it might serve as an alarm bell for people "whipping up emotions" in Australia

In an apparent reference to the Schapelle Corby case, Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said his government would not be intimidated by any act against its embassy.

"Actually we are a bit aghast and appalled by it all," Mr Natalegawa told ABC radio.

"This is something that is worthy of strong condemnation on everyone's part.

"Probably someone who has sent this has intended to intimidate the embassy, is intended to send a certain type of signal.

"The signal has been received and the answer is that this is a cowardly attempt at intimidation which (will have) not any impact whatsoever on the way Indonesia operates in Canberra."

Mr Natalegawa said the incident might calm some people.

"If any good comes out of this latest sorry incident perhaps it works as some kind of alarm bell to those who have been whipping up public emotions, that it can have unintended consequences on the part of, I don't know, maybe whoever sent this material," he said.

"This person may have been encouraged in doing this sort of act."

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said the incident was "unacceptable and un-Australian".

He said it came at a point when the tense relationship between Australia and Indonesia was beginning to cool.

"This will be a terrible, terrible blow in terms of people who have trying to boost the strength of the underlying Australia-Indonesia relationship," he told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the Indonesians were grateful for the work being done to decontaminate staff and help with the evacuation of the embassy.

"I made it very clear to the Indonesian foreign minister (Hassan Wirajuda), and he was with the president (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) when I was speaking to him, the Australian government and the authorities here in Canberra will do everything possible to track down who is responsible for this, but that we're outraged by the incident.

"In a broader sense there's no doubt that it does Australia damage with the Indonesian community."

- AAP