Image Gallery 2009
13 November 2009
Aussies assist in arrest
A JOINT operation in the early hours of November 10 in Solomon Islands arrested a 25-year-old man wanted by police in relation to the murder of four people in 2001.
The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), Participating Police Force (PPF) and Combined Task Force 635 (CTF 635) Operation Falcon arrested the man (whose name has not been released).
The arrest was made at about 1.10am in the Red Beach area just 8.5km from the PPF/CTF 635 main base near Honiara.
The suspect was allegedly part of a group of men responsible for the murder of a 50-year-old woman and three children, two aged 12 and one five-year-old.
In November 2001, the alleged offender took part in firing semi-automatic weapons at a utility vehicle carrying a large number of people, including the woman and children traveling to Ngorou clinic.
An RSIPF statement said the arrested man was also a suspect in relation to the attempted murder of another 15 people who sustained injuries during the attack.
The statement said the other men were currently in custody waiting trial for the incident.
An Australian platoon from Rotation 19 of Operation Anode including attachments from the Tongan Defence Services provided support to the operation as police arrested the suspect.
Platoon commander Lt Chris McGlashan said the military was involved early in planning, which marked a progressive increase in cooperation with the RSIPF and PPF over a number of rotations.
“The police are increasingly taking on board a lot of the military appreciation process into their planning and it is making interoperability much more than just a term,” Lt McGlashan said.
“It allows us to have better situational awareness of what is going on so we can actually provide support that is well planned and well executed."
| 20091109adf8222937_001 Lieutenant Chris McGlashan gives final orders on November 9 to support the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and Participating Police Force arrest of suspected murderer in Solomon Islands. (Date taken: 09 November 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
 |
