Ngurah Rai Air Base prepared for "Bali Nine" duo`s transfer

Balis Ngurah Rai Airport is ready to secure and guard the transfer of Australian convicts Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukuraman, who are members of the Bali Nine group on death row, to another facility.

"We are ready for that (provide security for Bali Nine transfer)," Commander of Ngurah Rai Air Base Colonel Sugiarto P.W. noted here, Monday.

The authorities will provide security cover to the two convicts during their transfer through a special gate at the Ngurah Rai International Airport.

No details have been made available regarding the time when the two convicts will be transferred.

Currently, three Sukhoi jet fighters have been stationed at the Ngurah Rai Operation Base. However, Sugiarto emphasized that the main task of the jet fighters is to secure the border area.

"The Sukhoi jet fighters are meant for securing the airspace in the border area. It is routinely conducted every year," he said.

The three Russian-manufactured jet fighters were flown in from the Makassar Air Base, South Sulawesi, on Sunday (Feb. 22) and scheduled to be on standby at Ngurah Rai until March 1, 2015.

Apart from securing the airspace in the border area, it does not rule out the possibility of jet fighters being used to provide security cover to the convoy during the transfer of the Bali Nine convicts to the Nusakambangan Penitentiary in Central Java Province.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were sentenced to death by firing squad.

The two were arrested along with seven other Australians while they were attempting to smuggle 8.3 kilograms of heroin from Bali to Sydney, Australia, in 2005. President Joko Widodo had recently rejected Sukumarans clemency petition.

Source : Antara