Iraqi man arrested over smuggling deaths
A 43-year-old Iraqi man has been charged over a smuggling venture that left more than 350 people dead when a boat sank in international waters in 2001.
The man was taken into custody at Brisbane Airport on Friday evening, following his extradition from New Zealand.
He appeared before Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday and has been remanded in custody to reappear in court on October 31.
Tony Kevin, author of "A Certain Maritime Incident", sits amongst the 146 pairs of shoes, with each pair representing a child that drowned when the ship Siev-X sank on its way to Christmas Island. AAP
Police will allege in court the man, part of a syndicate, took payments from passengers and helped with transport and accommodation in Indonesia in preparation for their journey to Australia.
The man has been charged with organising groups of non-citizens into Australia, contrary to migration laws. The maximum penalty is 10 years in jail.
Two other men have faced court over their role in the venture, which the Australian Federal Police started to investigate in October 2001.
353 decorated white poles along the shore of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, bearing the name of people who drowned when the overloaded boat carrying asylum seekers went down in the Indian Ocean. AAP
AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw on Saturday said the AFP were committed to bringing people smugglers to justice no matter how long it might take.
"Let's not lose sight of the fact that more than 350 people died in this tragedy," Commissioner Kershaw said.
"They are owed justice and we remain committed to deterring those who profit from this trade."
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