02.46 am, Tuesday March 23 2010

Teams probe Australian's murder in Papua

15:41 AEST Sun Jul 12 2009
VIEWS: 0
| FLOCKS: 0
| comments0 comments so far
Drew Grant pictured with his baby daughter. (Image supplied)
Drew Grant pictured with his baby daughter. (Image supplied)

A 40-member team of police and forensics specialists has arrived in Indonesia's restive Papua province to investigate the shooting death of an Australian employee of the US mining giant Freeport, officials say.

Indonesian doctors conducted a five-hour autopsy on the body of 29-year-old Victorian man Drew Grant, a doctor said on Sunday, giving no details.

Forensic department chief Dr Munin Idris of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital said the Australian Embassy had taken custody of the body of the technical expert after the autopsy.

Papua police chief Bagus Ekodanto said the Australian was shot five times in the chest, neck and stomach.

Four others in the car were uninjured.

Saturday's shooting happened near the Grasberg mine, one of the world's largest open-pit mines.

Ekodanto said anti-terror forces continued to hunt for several suspects and a team of Indonesian investigators and forensics specialists had arrived early on Sunday.

Grant had only been back in Indonesia for a week after visiting his nine-week-old daughter, his family said in Melbourne.

He was a doting father to baby Ella and a devoted husband to wife Lauren, his brother Nick Grant said.

He said his brother, a registered master builder, was a project manager for the US mining company and loved his job.

PT Freeport Indonesia spokesman Mindo Pangaribuan on Saturday said shots were fired at a company vehicle on a road outside Freeport's mining and operations areas.

The workers were reportedly on their way to a golf game.

Security around the mine had been increased and there were no further incidents, Pangaribuan said, adding that production was not disrupted.

Military spokesman Sagom Tamboen said three rebel suspects were detained on Saturday after a shoot-out in Yapen, 440km northwest of the mine, but the men were probably too far away to have carried out the Grasberg attack.

The mining complex, one of the world's largest single producers of copper and gold, has been a constant source of friction with local Papuans angered over the outflow of profits to foreign investors, while they remain poor.

Papua, a desperately poor and militarised province on Indonesia's easternmost edge, is home to separatist rebels who denounce PT Freeport as a symbol of Jakarta's rule. A surge in attacks in recent months has left several people dead.

The Indonesian government does not allow foreign media to freely report in Papua, where it has tens of thousands of troops. The site of Saturday's shooting was inaccessible to local reporters.

 
SHARE:
MESSENGER
FACEBOOK
MORE
Blog on Spaces
Add to delicious
Add to Digg
Share on MySpace
?
Share, bookmark, and save your favourite ninemsn articles and features.  Learn more.

Most popular

 Police investigate Hey Dad....! molestation claimPolice are investigating allegations made by former child star Sarah Monahan that she was molested on the set of Hey Dad ..! and are asking for other possible victims or witnesses to come forward.
 Son kicked parents to death, court toldA Perth man was intoxicated and could have been sleepwalking when he kicked his parents to death in their home, a court has heard.
 Woman 'invited guest to eat partner'Moments after she stabbed her boyfriend to death, a NSW woman sent a text telling another man she was going to eat the body because "I think he tastes good".
 Boob jobs banned from Pirates of the CaribbeanActresses with breast implants have been banned from joining the cast of the next Pirates of the Caribbean film.
 Notorious killer gets throat slashed in jailA prisoner who is serving a life sentence for the notorious murders of British schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman is in hospital after having his throat slashed by a fellow prisoner.
 Mum charged with 2yo daughter's murderA young mother with a history of violence has faced court charged with her daughter's murder in Sydney's inner west.
 Noisy sex-hungry wife arrested againA noisy British love-maker has been arrested again over loud sex romps with her husband.
 Stern Hu pleads guilty in ChinaStern Hu, an Australian executive with mining giant Rio Tinto, has pleaded guilty to taking bribes at a politically-charged trial in China.
 Doherty arrested over UK heiress deathPete Doherty has been arrested on suspicion of supplying heiress Robyn Whitehead with the drugs that killed her, according to reports.
 Storm cuts power, dumps hail in PerthA storm sweeping across Perth has caused widespread power cuts, damage and flash flooding as it dumped big hailstones and substantial rain on the parched city.
60 MinutesTunnel ratsSee the size of the black market between Gaza and Egypt. 60 MinutesPoisonedAre Australia's fruit and vegetables sprayed with toxic chemicals? Amanda Knox (AAP)Privacy breachKiller Amanda Knox wins $53,000 payout over sex book claims. Four people were killed in a horror collision near Canberra on Saturday. (AAP)Fatal repeatCanberra collision driver 'stole, crashed another car last year'. Alexandra from America's Next Top Model.Gonged outGiant pendulum knocks Next Top Model star off catwalk. What the truck? VIDEO: UK hatchback driver gets pushed by 12-wheeler.
advertisement
Sleaze snapper claims Renowned photographer accused of forcing models into sex acts ... read more
'Burn in hell'Monahan recounts Hey Dad! horror amidst police appeal for other victims
You need the latest version of Flash Player.
Enjoy the most vivid content on the web
Watch video without extra features
Interact with applications on your favourite sites
Upgrade now

page complete
Other ninemsn businesses: iSelect RateCity
© 1997-2010 ninemsn Pty Ltd - All rights reserved