By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
THE National Intelligence Organization (NIO) had issued warnings four years prior to the recent kidnapping incidences on the Hela Province side of the Mt Bosavi area, NIO Assistant Director (Security Intelligence) David Doonar says.
“We have been warning the National Government that the area is a national security threat long before the incidents involving the kidnapping of the New Zealand professor in February and the kidnapping and raping of 17 teenage girls early this month,” he said.
“NIO has warned the government that Mt Bosavi area, which borders the provinces of Western, Hela and Southern Highlands, is hostile, where hostage-taking and ransom demands will become a trend.”
Doonar told the 2022 National Election Parliamentary Committee last Monday that “the National Government has never taken heed of NIO’s warnings”.
“We have been warning them about the kidnapping of foreigners and local staff in logging camps on the Western Province side of the Mt Bosavi area since 2019.
“All those reports were brushed aside until the kidnapping of the Australian professor on the 19th February this year, followed by the kidnapping of the 17 teenage girls on the 7th June.”
He said it was the same gang that attempted to take hostages at the Kamusi logging camp on the Western border.
Doonar said the gang attempted to kidnap foreigners at the logging camp on 2nd February, however, four police officers from the Balimo Rural Police station foiled their plans with an intercept and exchange of fire.
“The gang retreated back across the border into Southern Highlands and ended up taking out their frustration by kidnapping the seven researchers and their guides for a cash ransom at Fogomaiyu village on the borders of Southern Highlands, Western and Hela.
According to police officers in Western Province, the gang comprises men from Komo (Hela Province )and Nipa-Kutubu (Southern Highlands) and are notorious in the area.
They are suspected to be involved in gun and drug smuggling along the PNG- Australian border.
Police said the gang has been terrorising villages and taking hostages.
They first took hostage several Asian workers and demanded K1.5 million in December last year, which the company paid before they released the hostages.
“We then picked up an intelligence report that they would kidnap foreigners again at the Kawalasi logging camp,” Doonar said.
“We then went and set up camp there.
“On the 9th February they attempted to attack the camp but we exchanged gun fire with them and they left.
“Then they made another attempt at Musula logging camp, however, we had already received intelligence reports and went first to Musula.
“So, when they attacked, we again foiled their plan the following day.
“This time we followed them and continued exchanging gunfire with them and that’s how they become frustrated, went across the border into the SHP and kidnaped those seven hostages.”
