8 Mar 2007

Fiji military says it is closing in on authors of website

8:12 pm on 8 March 2007

Those behind the controversial Fiji website Intelligentsiya.com say they are ready for the military, which is hunting them down.

The military claims it's closing in on the authors of the website, which carried a story alleging that a 24-year-old man in the northern division died from injuries he sustained during a drug raid.

The authors say they have been monitoring human rights since the December coup and if the military shuts the website down, the site will be canonised.

The military spokesman, Major Neumi Leweni, says the authors are trying to discredit the military and will be found.

Major Leweni says the military is closely monitoring the website, has lodged a complaint with the police about it and has a fair idea of who is behind it.

He says the authors - who claim to have a global readership - will have to substantiate their claims.

"We'll try and speak with them and gather information as to how are they getting their information and how do they substantiate the claims that they have actually gone out and put in there."

The authors say they will continue to stand firm.