SYDNEY - Australian officials refused to confirm reports Friday that a boat carrying asylum seekers was being towed away from its Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island.

Australia denies resettlement to political refugees arriving on boats and turns vessels back when it is safe to do so, despite criticism of the hardline policy.

Christmas Island shire president Gordon Thomson said an Indonesian fishing boat was spotted within 200 metres (655 feet) of the island's harbour entrance on Friday morning.

"I saw the navy patrol boat towing the Indonesian fishing boat out to sea away from Christmas Island," he told Australian Associated Press.

"It's a wicked thing to do."

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull would not comment when asked about the report.

"As you know, we don't comment on operational matters," he said.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said the boat, carrying about eight people, was towed back out to sea where those on board were transferred to another Navy ship.

The reports prompted critics to demand answers of the government.

"Will Turnbull Govt be honest about what will now happen to them?" Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said on Twitter.

"If the Govt really does care about saving lives at sea, they wouldn't tow this boat away from Xmas Island, they would let it land safely."

Christmas Island -- which lies between the Australian mainland and Indonesia -- houses an immigration detention facility.

But the government no longer takes asylum seekers arriving by boat to the territory, sending them instead to the Pacific islands of Nauru and Manus in Papua New Guinea.

They are denied resettlement in Australia even if they are found to be genuine refugees.

Canberra has said the policy is necessary to stop asylum seekers from entering Australia by boat…

http://m.bangkokpost.com/news/771492

These days, to offer assistance dey hard even when it thugs your conscience. Italy allowed thousands of refuges without papers or passports and it was rumored that it was through there that these demons infiltrated. These days are very fragile and critical.

What would you do if you were in their shoes?

I personally have donated the little I have to UNHCR,Red Cross to support humanitarian aids towards Syria and Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria.

Why I made reference to doing so is because I support Australia's action,it's not an act of cruelty but one of defense,in no time the tentacles of terrorism would establish a strong hold globally and the earlier nations that have always opened their doors realize this,the safer they would be.

The world cannot keep trying to show a human side to demons who nothing beyond what's been implanted in their brain by a sick religion.Even if the real terrorists don't disguise and enter other countries,the regular asylum seekers have great potential of becoming a terrorist in the near future.

If the world can donate as much as is required to sustain the thousands of migrants,let them stay in refugee camps in Middle East countries till the crisis in their country is either leveled of a big salvageable.

They enjoy the freedom of living in western countries yet they are ready to blow the city that houses them peacefully thousands of miles from their own totalitarian and tyrannical countries.I wonder how their brains work

ValerianSteel:
I personally have donated the little I have to UNHCR,Red Cross to support humanitarian aids towards Syria and Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria.

Why I made reference to doing so is because I support Australia's action,it's not an act of cruelty but one of defense,in no time the tentacles of terrorism would establish a strong hold globally and the earlier nations that have always opened their doors realize this,the safer they would be.

The world cannot keep trying to show a human side to demons who nothing beyond what's been implanted in their brain by a sick religion.Even if the real terrorists don't disguise and enter other countries,the regular asylum seekers have great potential of becoming a terrorist in the near future.

If the world can donate as much as is required to sustain the thousands of migrants,let them stay in refugee camps in Middle East countries till the crisis in their country is either leveled of a big salvageable.

They enjoy the freedom of living in western countries yet they are ready to blow the city that houses them peacefully thousands of miles from their own totalitarian and tyrannical countries.I wonder how their brains work

I find it cruel they sent the boat away I understand the threat of terrorism abroad coming on to ones shores, but that was bloody heartless diverting them back out to sea.

Depending on how far they travelled from, I'm sure they are in need of medical attention, a lot of asylum seekers are trying to escape persecution and want a better life ( prob from war zone countries).

I know Australia and New Zealand have refugee and Asylum seeker quotas each year, which they don't go over.

But just sending them back out like they ain't sh'it really pisses me off

We need to continue to show a more human face, if we don't we are just as bad as the assailants whom cause terror.

The main reason why Australia sent that boat away n prob many more that haven't reached media attention, is because they don't want over-population and that being real.

Dear Adanna28,
you do not understand the threat of terrorism.
This is not America's propaganda about north Korea or china.
These two asian countries wouldn't mind engaging in espionage or warfare for economic Advancement et al....
Economic Advancement is a positive thing, far better than some hustle for 72 mythical maidens.

Have u seen #IS decapitations on video?
have u seen the video where some nigerian adebolajo boy hack that British soldier to death? you seen the Jordanian soldier that was set ablaze?
You ever wonder what made the abdulmuttalab boy want to blow up a plane?

Let Saudi Arabia open their borders for them!

Viktor1983:
Dear Adanna28,
you do not understand the threat of terrorism.
This is not America's propaganda about north Korea or china.
These two asian countries wouldn't mind engaging in espionage or warfare for economic Advancement et al....
Economic Advancement is a positive thing, far better than some hustle for 72 mythical maidens.

Have u seen #IS decapitations on video?
have u seen the video where some nigerian adebolajo boy hack that British soldier to death? you seen the Jordanian soldier that was set ablaze?
You ever wonder what made the abdulmuttalab boy want to blow up a plane?

Let Saudi Arabia open their borders for them!

Dear Viktor1983, if that is your birth year I would hope you would have more sense!
Not all asylum seekers on boats are terrorists! If we are going to let "fear" rule our lives we would close our borders to everyone that tries to enter our shores.

In saying that I understand where your coming from, with the increase in terrorism you can never be to careful..but we are talking about Australia here for goodness sakes!
Even if that boat happened to have terrorists on it australia could easily kill them, afterall it in the middle of nowhere! In the pacific ocean.

What threat could there possibly be? We need to show more of a human face mehn. That why law restrictions are so tight on nigerians n africans that go through customs here.

Adanna28:

Dear Viktor1983, if that is your birth year I would hope you would have more sense!
Not all asylum seekers on boats are terrorists! If we are going to let "fear" rule our lives we would close our borders to everyone that tries to enter our shores.
In saying that I understand where your coming from, with the increase in terrorism you can never be to careful..but we are talking about Australia here for goodness sakes!
Even if that boat happened to have terrorists on it australia could easily kill them, afterall it in the middle of nowhere! In the pacific ocean.
What threat could there possibly be? We need to show more of a human face mehn. That why law restrictions are so tight on nigerians n africans that go through customs here.

you don't understand where I'm coming from.....
Do you remember the nyanya bus park bombing in Abuja?
I was in that park trying to board a bus, then remembered that I forgot my phone at home....took a bike to get my phone and "Boom"!.......
you can only understand if you've experienced something similar.... pls if you have such experience kindly share....

Viktor1983:


you don't understand where I'm coming from.....
Do you remember the nyanya bus park bombing in Abuja?
I was in that park trying to board a bus, then remembered that I forgot my phone at home....took a bike to get my phone and "Boom"!.......
you can only understand if you've experienced something similar.... pls if you have such experience kindly share....

Don't pay evil with evil

Australia government action shows they not different from those blood sucking terrorist.

Adanna28:


I find it cruel they sent the boat away I understand the threat of terrorism abroad coming on to ones shores, but that was bloody heartless diverting them back out to sea.

Depending on how far they travelled from, I'm sure they are in need of medical attention, a lot of asylum seekers are trying to escape persecution and want a better life ( prob from war zone countries).

I know Australia and New Zealand have refugee and Asylum seeker quotas each year, which they don't go over.

But just sending them back out like they ain't sh'it really pisses me off

We need to continue to show a more human face, if we don't we are just as bad as the assailants whom cause terror.

The main reason why Australia sent that boat away n prob many more that haven't reached media attention, is because they don't want over-population and that being real.

Anti-spam BOT banned me after I replied this post.

Yeah I do understand that we must continue to show our human side to prove,we must now be at our own defense seeing the world we currently live in.

I do consider that Australia could have allowed them get off the boat,at least get medical care and food.Afterwhich they would all be scrutinized.Those who meet the necessary requirement for asylum should be taken in.Those who don't should be camped temporarily and repatriated.

In all currently,security must come first,we need to understand that no country is obligated to take anybody in,they only do so out of goodwill and compassion,if the government of such country feels the goodwill has expired,they would reverse the asylum processes.I think Australia is leaning towards this now.

Raymonbell:


Don't pay evil with evil

Australia government action shows they not different from those blood sucking terrorist.

U might be correct, don't pay evil with evil. I believe that it is pertinent to allow your likes in your midst. Australia,didn't do the wrong thing, @times, to achieve your goals, you really have to be strong hearted. If the entire world is mad @ Australia for turning these muslims (potential terrorists) then, they should kill saudi Arabia and other muslim countries for rejecting to open their boarders for their brothers as well, Saudi and co knew the risk these asylum seekers from syria can pose and as such rejected them from d onset.

Adanna28:


Dear Viktor1983, if that is your birth year I would hope you would have more sense!
Not all asylum seekers on boats are terrorists! If we are going to let "fear" rule our lives we would close our borders to everyone that tries to enter our shores.

In saying that I understand where your coming from, with the increase in terrorism you can never be to careful..but we are talking about Australia here for goodness sakes!
Even if that boat happened to have terrorists on it australia could easily kill them, afterall it in the middle of nowhere! In the pacific ocean.

What threat could there possibly be? We need to show more of a human face mehn. That why law restrictions are so tight on nigerians n africans that go through customs here.

@ adanna, I know australia and new Zealand. Has the toughest. Immigration. I was not surprised when I heard it