Sydney - A group of almost 200 mainly Iraqi refugees looked last night to have forced the Australian navy to take them to Australia after a two-day standoff in the Indian Ocean which saw them first throw a number of children overboard and then sabotage their own vessel, writes Conor Lally.
Last night the group, including around 50 children, where on the HMAS Adelaide just off Christmas Island at the north eastern tip of Australia. They were transferred to the naval vessel early yesterday for their own safety. The Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, said the group may be transported to Christmas Island while their fate is decided. "I hope to say something about that in the next 24 or 48 hours. At the moment they are on the Adelaide and they won't be able to stay there for a long time," he said.