Bainimarama defends Fiji arrests

Fiji's military leader has defended the recent arrests of 16 people over an alleged plot to assassinate him.

Commodore Frank Bainimarama said the Pacific Island nation would have faced instability and bloodshed if troops and police had not acted to defend him.

Those arrested since the weekend include businessmen and politicians, as well as two New Zealand nationals.

Six people have now been charged with offences including treason and inciting mutiny, a police spokesman said.

The wave of arrests has drawn international concern, with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark accusing Cmdr Bainimarama of trying to silence his critics.

The military leader seized power in a bloodless coup in late 2006, ousting Laisenia Qarase's democratically elected government. He has pledged to hold polls in 2009.

'Serious unrest'

Cmdr Bainimarama told reporters in the Fijian capital, Suva, that he felt "happy to be alive".

Police and the military had "uncovered a situation which, if not foiled, would have led to serious unrest, bloodshed and instability in Fiji", he said.

No concrete details have been given about the alleged plot, but Cmdr Bainimarama earlier blamed it on "disgruntled groups" affected by his anti-corruption drive.

Some of the accused were due in court on Tuesday, but their appearances were reportedly delayed by arguments between police and prosecutors over the charges.

Public prosecutors had been threatened with arrest if they did not take the case to court, the Fiji Times reported.

Cmdr Bainimarama played down earlier comments by Fiji's police commissioner, Esala Teleni, pointing to the involvement of "foreign governments", saying he regretted "sensational reporting of this matter".

"At no time have we directly implicated Australia or New Zealand in this foiled assassination plot," he said.

Both New Zealand and Australia have dismissed the suggestion they were involved with the alleged plot.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told reporters the allegations were "completely absurd", while Mrs Clark described the claims as "wild statements".

Mrs Clark, meanwhile, said that diplomats had received no access to the detained New Zealanders.

Once of them, businessman Ballu Khan, was reported to have been badly beaten during his arrest.