Issue No: 717; 1 May 2001

Earlier it was reported that the failure of the Police Department to provide intelligence reports led the Cabinet to summon the Commissioner of Police to a cabinet meeting in late April. The Commissioner, Isikia Savua, and his top officers, assured the cabinet that there was no security threat to the nation, the people, or the cabinet. (see also: http://www.pcgov.org.fj/docs_c/savua_lrv_13dec.htm).

Yesterday the former Official Secretary at Government House, Jo Browne stated that there was a conspiracy in the security forces to conceal information and to remove the president Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.

Browne says that the conspiracy involved withdrawing military guards around the Government House on the day he was `evacuated' from Government House to a navy vessel.

Browne also states that intelligence reports were deliberately withheld from the President. He is quoted by the Fiji Times as saying that he was in constant communication with the dissident groups from April 20 and could sense increasing political and social tension. The Sun reports Browne as saying that the security forces.

Browne has also called for Savua to step aside. The Fiji Sun quotes him as saying: "Mr. Savua should be the first person to step aside and allow someone else to run the police force".

Browne also claims that people funded the dissidents: "At first it started with people who were against Chaudhry and gave financial and moral support. However, these people were not expecting things to end up in a coup. That's why they backed out when the cause took on a vanua face".

Browne also claimed that some senior officers who were responsible for the 19 may crisis are still in the military.

Yesterday the CRW soldiers charged with mutiny claimed that some officers who are still in the military were responsible for supplying arms to the terrorists.