Speight seized after gunfire

By PATRICK GOWER

Fiji coup leader George Speight and three of his men were arrested by the Army last night after shots were fired at a roadblock.

The four men and Speight's 12-year-old niece were travelling to their base at Kalabu school, on the outskirts of Suva, when they were stopped at the Laqere Bridge roadblock by soldiers who fired five warning shots.

The girl was terrified, said Malakai Veisamasama, an independent radio FM96 journalist at the scene.

"I could see her from where I was. She was screaming her guts out, absolutely terrified."

The girl was taken away by a Speight supporter after her uncle was arrested with his media adviser, Joe Nata, his legal adviser, Tevita Bukarau, and a bodyguard known as Cakau.

Fiji military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Filipo Tarakinikini told the Herald early this morning that Speight had been arrested "in relation to the continuing unrest in the country and the breakdown of law and order."

The charges would include the rebel group's failure to return firearms stolen from the Army and threats in recent days to the life of the head of the state, President Josefa Iloilo.

"There will definitely be more arrests. No one is above the law.

"They have to learn that they are subject to it like everyone else."

Colonel Tarakinikini said the four arrested would be detained overnight in military custody but he would not say where they would be held or for how long.

However, a rebel supporter said they had been given assurances that Speight would be released today after questioning.

"The military have given us their reasons for arresting them - it's typical military propaganda."

The supporter said the son of former President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara was in charge of the military checkpoint where Speight was arrested.

"He wants to continue the dynasty. Just like the rest of the military, he is against Speight."

The military had earlier declared that troops would take a "more proactive approach in the effort to maintain law and order."

Soldiers had been deployed at checkpoints around Suva in anticipation of an "extreme reaction" to the planned naming of a new cabinet.

Earlier yesterday, President Iloilo postponed the appointment of the cabinet for the second time in a week because of fears of a backlash from the rebels.

The rebels are demanding that Samanunu Cakobau, Fiji's High Commissioner to Malaysia, be named prime minister, and that they are given five of the top Government portfolios.

However, President Iloilo wants the new prime minister to be Laisenia Qarase, a banker who enjoys the backing of the military but is fiercely opposed by Speight.

A swearing-in ceremony last week was cancelled at the last minute after Speight threatened civil war if the new Administration did not include more of his supporters.

Diplomatic sources said they expected President Iloilo's new administration to be similar to one named last week.

The South Pacific nation has been in political turmoil since the rebels stormed Parliament on May 19 and took hostage the country's first ethnic Indian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, and his Government.