INTERNATIONAL THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2014

Australian convicted in child sex sting with virtual girl

SYDNEY: An Australian man caught in a global sting onto police, including in Australia, Poland and the stood to have searched Hansen’s home following a the alone. The problem is also present in which used a virtual girl called Sweetie to trap child United States. The Australian is the first person to be web chat with “Sweetie” in which he was naked and Cambodia and Thailand, she said. “We are just trying sex predators has become the first person convicted convicted in the online sting, Terre des Hommes’ masturbated, news.com.au reported. to prove with Sweetie that this is an iceberg problem,” from the operation, the rights group behind it said Jakarta-based Leny Kling told AFP. Terre des Hommes has said they did not approach she said, adding that the large number of people yesterday. Dutch rights groups Terre des Hommes “And we hope that more will follow,” she said. anyone on the Internet but instead waited for people caught in the sting in a short time indicated the scale said in November last year it had used a computer- Court officials said 38-year-old Scott Robert Hansen to approach Sweetie and ask for sex acts. of the exploitation of children. “It’s up to the FBI, up generated Filipina girl-dubbed “Sweetie”-in Internet had been sentenced on three charges, including The rights group also stopped the conversation as to Interpol, up to the Australian police force to take chat rooms to ensnare paedophiles. Over a 10-week using a carriage service to transmit indecent commu- soon as someone offered Sweetie money for sex acts. action.” period more than 20,000 predators from 71 countries nications to a person aged under 16, and possessing “Sweetie attracted a lot of paedophiles,” said Kling, When the sting was revealed in 2013, Terres de approached the virtual 10-year-old asking for web- child exploitation material on Tuesday. adding that comments the virtual girl attracted Hommes said its researchers found the experience cam sex performances and more than 1,000 pae- He was also charged with failing to comply with a included ‘Can you undress yourself?’ and ‘Can you shocking. “To put yourself in the shoes of a 10-year- dophiles had been identified as a result, it said at the sex offenders order. “He was given a two-year sen- show your boobs to me?’. old Filipina girl and seeing what some men want time. tence,” a court spokeswoman told AFP, adding it was Kling said the group wanted to raise the alarm from you has been a shocking experience for them,” The group has said that several offenders have suspended given the 260 days he had already been about webcam child sex tourism, a form of child said its head of campaigns Hans Guyt. “Some since been arrested after the information was passed held in custody. Australian Federal Police are under- exploitation that has tens of thousands of victims in demands and acts were really obscene.” — AFP

Philippines pushes arbitration in China sea row

MANILA: The Philippine president said yes- approval of a legally binding Code of terday that the international arbitration Conduct to replace the non-binding 2002 has initiated to challenge China’s terri- Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South torial claims in the South China Sea and a China Sea. legally binding “Code of Conduct” are the “Beyond that, I don’t know what else we only ways to settle the long-raging disputes could do,” Aquino said. “The focus is to peacefully. achieve a solution through peaceful means The Philippines says that China has been bound by international law.” China has said intruding into its exclusive economic zone, that the Philippines’ filing of the case could including deploying two hydrographic ships damage relations between the two countries in June near an offshore oil well inside and that it would prefer to settle the dispute Philippine waters. Philippine President bilaterally. Benigno Aquino III has said Manila is uncer- Aquino said Chinese actions in the South tain of the purpose of the ships’ presence at China Sea were “not in conformity” with the the Reed Bank. 2002 agreement signed by Beijing and Aquino said yesterday that Chinese ASEAN calling on all claimants over parts or reclaimed land in the disputed waters, if used the whole of the regional waters not to exac- militarily, could be a “game changer” in the erbate their dispute. “We have issues about future settlement of the dispute. Countries in the reclamations, about rocks, in so far as the region and those that use the busy sea rocks being turned into islands,” he said, refer- lanes that straddle the South China Sea and ring to Chinese land reclamations in at least the disputed Spratly island chain are con- three shoals claimed by both China and the cerned that the conflict could erupt into vio- Philippines. lent clashes. “Is it a game changer? Obviously it’s a Speaking at a forum with foreign corre- game changer,” he said in response to a ques- spondents, Aquino said the Philippines is tion on whether the reclaimed land could be seeking an internationally recognized settle- used to install military facilities such as an ment of the disputes. “This affects not just airstrip, posing a security threat to the countries in the region, but countries that Philippines. China’s conflicts with Vietnam have to traverse this particular ocean,” he said. and the Philippines have been intensifying Manila has filed a case with an internation- over the past two years. The most serious al tribunal in The Hague challenging China’s confrontation was in May between Chinese territorial claims over most of the South China and Vietnamese ships near an oil rig deployed MANILA: German Marc Susselbeck (3rd L), boyfriend of murdered Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude, also known as “Jeffrey,” and Jennifer’s Sea, but Beijing has refused to take part. The by Beijing in waters claimed by Hanoi. sister Marilou (2nd L) climb over the gate of the facility where Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton is detained at the Armed Forces of the Philippines and some other countries in the Aside from China, the Philippines and Philippines (AFP) headquarters in Manila yesterday. — AFP 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also Nations, or ASEAN, are pushing for the have claims in the South China Sea. — AP Marine suspect guarded by US in Philippine camp Washington seeks no special privilege for suspect: Kerry

MANILA: A US Marine suspected in the gruesome authorities engaged in a high-profile custody battle Olongapo city on Oct. 11, then went to a motel room killing of a transgender Filipino was flown yesterday over another US Marine, Daniel Smith, who was found where Laude’s body was later found. She had appar- from his warship to the Philippine military’s main guilty and sentenced to life in prison on charges of ently been drowned in the toilet bowl. camp, where he will continue to be guarded by fellow raping a Filipino woman in 2005. A Philippine appeals The amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu, where Marines, in a compromise that eased a looming irritant court overturned his conviction in 2009, allowing him Pemberton initially was detained, had been ordered over his custody. to leave the country amid anti-US protests. to stay in Subic during the investigation. But yesterday, The emotional case involving Pfc. Joseph Scott In the latest case, Philippine police and witnesses US Pacific Commander Adm. Samuel Locklear cleared Pemberton and Jennifer Laude, whose former name said Pemberton and Laude, 26, met at a disco bar in the Peleliu to leave the Philippines. — AP was Jeffrey, came as the Philippines and the United States were strengthening ties with the recent signing of a defense accord that allows greater U.S. access to Philippine military camps. The accord would help Washington’s bid to reassert its presence in Asia and Manila to deter what it calls China’s aggressive moves to reinforce its claims in contested South China Sea JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo and First lady Iriana (both C in white) show territories. the presidential palace to employees of governor office as part of their farewell ceremony Left-wing activists and nationalist Filipinos have cit- at the presidential palace in Jakarta yesterday. Joko Widodo was inaugurated as ed the custody provision of the accord - which says Indonesia’s president on October 20, capping a remarkable rise from an upbringing in a American military suspects shall remain in US custody riverside slum. — AFP until legal processes are completed - as proof that the accord undermines the sovereignty of the Philippines, Indonesia president to which was an American colony until 1946. Pemberton’s transfer by helicopter to Manila was agreed by the US and the Philippines, military chief of make new cabinet picks staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang told a news confer- ence. The 19-year-old Marine, who arrived in hand- JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo, had flagged as problematic. Widodo had origi- cuffs, was detained in an air-conditioned container who won election on a vow of clean govern- nally planned to announce his cabinet of 33 van with grilled windows, directly guarded by US ment, said yesterday he would have to find new ministers on Tuesday, the day after his inaugura- Marines while Philippine military police will be posted people to fill some of his cabinet posts after the tion. He has said his team would be made up of outside the fenced compound, Catapang said. anti-graft agency rejected eight of the people 18 technocrats and 15 political appointees. President Benigno Aquino III welcomed the US he picked. Widodo has tried to steer clear of the It was not clear when an announcement decision to transfer the suspect, telling a news forum traditional trading of cabinet posts for political would be made. “Everyone wants us to work with foreign correspondents that the Americans “are support and has said he wants a ministerial quickly but what happens if we are mistaken? responding to our needs and our sensitivities.” HONG KONG: A pro-democracy protester rest in a tent in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong team dominated by professional technocrats. We need to be quick, but also correct,” Widodo Appearing before a Senate foreign relations com- yesterday. Hong Kong student leaders said yesterday they may shun further talks with the He took the unprecedented step as presi- said. All eyes are on Widodo’s choices for the mittee hearing on Laude’s killing, Foreign Secretary government, accusing it of failing to make any meaningful offers to end weeks of mass pro- dent of submitting his list of candidates to anti- main economic ministries. They will inherit said the Philippine government democracy rallies and roadblocks. — AFP corruption agencies for vetting before problems in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy would never have agreed if U.S. officials decided to announcing the team. “Yesterday, we were told ranging from a widening current account detain Pemberton at the American embassy in Manila, by (anti-graft agencies) ... there were eight deficit and cooling investment to the slowest where a Marine rape suspect was held years ago, No end in sight for HK names that weren’t allowed,” Widodo told growth since 2009. “The market hopes that in describing such a prospect as “totally unacceptable.” reporters in his first news conference as leader ministries related to the capital market-like Hours after the US Marine’s transfer, Laude’s moth- protests after talks of Southeast Asia’s largest economy. finance ministry and the state-owned enter- er, two sisters, German boyfriend and the family’s “Of course we have to change. If we don’t, prises ministries-will be run by technocrat indi- lawyer - trailed by a throng of journalists and TV cam- who will fill the posts?” he said. He declined to viduals,” said Harry Su, head of research at eramen - managed to come close to the military camp HONG KONG: Hong Kong student leaders said yes- city’s next leader should be chosen in 2017, when a identify the candidates the anti-graft agencies Bahana Securities. — Reuters compound, where Pemberton was being held, and terday they may shun further talks with the govern- direct election for the post will be introduced. demanded that they be let in. ment, accusing it of failing to make any meaningful Protesters want the public to have the right to “This is the family of the woman he killed. Come offers to end weeks of mass pro-democracy protests nominate candidates. But Beijing ruled in August that here,” family lawyer Harry Roque yelled from outside and roadblocks. The comments are a blow to the only those vetted by a loyalist committee would be the locked gate. “Mr. American, how come you haven’t city’s Beijing-backed leaders who had expressed allowed to stand-something protesters dismiss as even condoled?” hopes for fresh rounds of talks after meeting students “fake democracy”. on Tuesday night for the first time. The negotiations Suspect still in US custody are widely seen as the only way to end nearly a Limited offers When the Filipino guards refused to open the gate, month of protests-calling for full democracy in the During talks, government negotiators insisted one of Laude’s sisters and German boyfriend climbed semi-autonomous southern Chinese city-without a Beijing would never agree to civil nomination. over the fence into the compound but were prevent- police crackdown or further violence. But they made a series of conciliatory offers ed by the guards from getting close to Pemberton’s There were fresh confrontations yesterday after- including a promise to brief mainland officials on van a few meters away. Other military officials arrived noon between protesters and opponents who tried recent events and a suggestion both sides could set and Laude’s family and lawyer later left. to remove demonstrators’ road barricades in the up a “platform” to discuss further political reform While the suspect has been moved to a Philippine Mongkok district. The first talks on Tuesday night beyond 2017. Student leaders remain unimpressed, camp, he remains in US custody, the US Marine Corps made little headway, with students calling the gov- saying the government has offered nothing con- said, citing the Visiting Forces Agreement, which stipu- ernment “vague” in its commitment to finding a gen- crete. lates treatment of American military personnel sus- uine compromise. “About whether there will be talks If talks are abandoned, many fear a return to vio- pected of breaking law. in the future, this is something that isn’t decided,” lent scuffles seen late last week with dozens injured The Marine Corps takes allegations of illegal acts Hong Kong Federation of Students secretary general after demonstrators battled police as they tried to by its forces seriously, Marine Corps Pacific spokesman Alex Chow told reporters Wednesday. clear barriers. A crowd of about 70 protesters Col. Brad Bartelt said, but added: “It is important to “The government has to come up with some way marched on the residence of Hong Kong’s current remember that anyone accused of a crime is pre- to solve this problem, but what they are offering leader Leung Chun-ying Wednesday afternoon, BANGKOK: Tun tun Htike, center, father of arrested Myanmar migrant worker Win Zaw sumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.” does not have any practical content,” Chow said, angered over his recent comments that open elec- Htun, cries while addressing the media as Thing Shwe Aug, left, Phu Shwe Nu, second US Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that adding protesters will not leave the streets any time tions would put voting power into the hands of peo- from left, parents of Zaw Lin and May Thein, mother of Win Zaw Htun listen at the Washington seeks no special privilege for the suspect soon. The two sides are at loggerheads over how the ple “who earn less than US$1,800 a month”.—AFP Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday. — AP but only protection of his rights. Philippine and US