Stephen Fitzpatrick, Jakarta – Five Australians trapped in Papua are in a "race against time" to escape by charter plane before "arrogant" Indonesian prosecutors pounce to overturn their not-guilty verdict.
The five, who have been in prison, or under house arrest, since arriving illegally in the province six months ago, had their light aircraft re-impounded by prosecutors this week, just days after the Papua High Court ordered it returned and the group set free.
However, the plane's owner, charter operator William Scott-Bloxam, has several more on nearby Horn Island, off Cape York in northeastern Australia, and the group is preparing for a snatch-and-run mission "before the prosecution changes the goalposts again".
"We don't want to offend the Indonesian Government but the arrogance of the prosecutors has just been amazing," one of the five, passenger Keith Mortimer, told The Weekend Australian.
"There's nothing like it in the world. It was just a misdemeanour case, which should have been dealt with by immigration, but it went to the District Court, and then to the High Court, and I tell you what, if it ends up in the Supreme Court, we'll be stuck here for a minimum of seven years. It's that simple."
The five, whose passports remain confiscated, have set up camp in the tiny Merauke airport's arrivals lounge, declaring they cannot be re-arrested there since it is international space.
"We've got no status in this country," Mr Mortimer said. "We can't walk out into the street because we've got no visas. The moment we walk out there, they have every right to declare us illegal aliens."
Mr Mortimer insisted, however, that should Mr Scott-Bloxam succeed in having one of his other aircraft land, "Mate, as soon as we can get one of them here, we're on it and out. It landing has got nothing to do with our legal status, and once it arrives, we're straight on it. This is a race against time".
Mr Mortimer, along with Mr Scott-Bloxam and the latter's wife, Vera, as well as Hubert Hofer and Karen Burke, all aged in their 50s and early 60s, arrived by twin-engined light plane last September without visas or flight clearances.