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December 12, 2005 - 5:54PM


The Australian Federal Police (AFP) had no role in the release of photographs of convicted drug trafficker Schapelle Corby and a man charged with marijuana dealing, AFP chief Mick Keelty says.
Bali prosecutors are expected to seek access to the photographs of Corby ahead of an upcoming appeal against her current 15-year jail term.
The photographs, the existence of which were revealed by Melbourne's Herald-Sun newspaper on Saturday, were taken before Corby was arrested on October 8 last year, when customs officers at Bali's airport found 4.1kg of marijuana in her unlocked luggage.
Police found the photographs of Corby and the alleged dealer while searching his South Australian home as part of a joint SA-Queensland operation to bust an alleged marijuana-smuggling ring operating between the states.
Prosecutors in Denpasar are likely to request police hand over the photographs to cast doubt on Corby's claim that she had no contact with drugs or drug dealers.
Mr Keelty said the matter was in the hands of South Australian and Queensland police, and federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock.
Mr Keelty said the AFP had "no role whatsoever" in the seizure of the photographs.
"That's a matter between the South Australian Police and the Queensland Police," Mr Keelty told reporters in Canberra.
He said it was now up to Mr Ruddock to decide whether to request the photos from state police in order to forward them to those deciding Corby's appeal.
"We are not in possession of the original photographs," Mr Keelty said.
"Whether they are used for the prosecution or in Indonesia will be a matter for the Australian government - whether they're used for the defence is also a matter for the Australian government.
"So it will be up to the Australian government to liaise as appropriate with the South Australian and Queensland police."
Mr Keelty said he had only seen copies and did not know who had leaked them to the media.
But he said there was always a risk that such evidence would surface.
"If any evidence existed about Schapelle Corby there was always a risk that it would come to light eventually," he said.
"But that's matter for the Indonesians and for the Australian government.
"If they are evidence of anything it will be a matter for the attorney-general's department in the Australian government to make a decision as to whether they should be provided to the Indonesians."
Corby's lawyers last month lodged an appeal with Indonesia's highest court, claiming lower court judges failed to consider evidence that would set the Gold Coast woman free.
She maintains the drugs were not hers and were planted in her baggage by an Australian drug gang using her as an unwitting drug courier.
But prosecutors in Denpasar have said they will fight the appeal, and plan to lodge a counter appeal against the court's decision to slash five years from Corby's original 20-year jail term.
A spokesman for Justice Minister Chris Ellison, who acts on Mr Ruddock's behalf in mutual assistance matters, said no request had been received from Indonesian authorities.
Such a request would be considered on its merits in accordance with the relevant act, he said.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/Nation...235995962.html