VASU RASIAH, CORBY DEFENCE TEAM: I can understand as a fellow Australian, I can understand. If they have delayed the letter because their agents were working undercover and if they have commented on the matter of internal inquiry, the lives of the agents are jeopardised, I can understand.

GEORGE NEGUS: So if you've accused them of lying in the past, do you now accept there is a valid reason if they're going to smash this cocaine smuggling ring?

VASU RASIAH: Not really, if that is so, if what they say is right I can understand. However, after they have done their arrests and after they have done their investigation, they should have come back and straight away they should have informed the Indonesian Government or the judicial system why it was delayed and then what is actually happening.
When they do not do that at this stage, and even at this stage they have not informed the judicial system or us or our client, then they are sacrificing Schapelle for their needs.

GEORGE NEGUS: So you're not satisfied that the letter provided by the Australian Government is of any use to you?

VASU RASIAH: Not really, see the letter is basic - what the letter says basically it is a news release. Number one, the letter does not refer to Schapelle Corby at all, anywhere. Number two, the letter only talks about drug importation. Number three, it says possible baggage handlers involvement. Whereas a couple of Sundays ago, Ray Cooper the exAFP officer, he comes and says even before 1995 they were aware of baggage handlers involvement and they have been investigating all the time.

GEORGE NEGUS: Whether or not that's correct, commissioner Mick Keelty is adamant he's never publicly commented on Schapelle Corey's innocence or guilt. What he claims is there's no link between the baggage investigators investigation and your client's case that the evidence and the intelligence is just not there?

VASU RASIAH: Many things Mr Keelty has done, he doesn't add up to it. Because for example, John Ford, we were told John Ford who is our witness who came from Melbourne prison, when he gave a statement to the Australian lawyers, a jury came out and discredited him and said it was here say and all that stuff before he even interviewed the man. Before he discredited him on the TV, he goes and interviews him for four hours.
If he had interviewed him before and then came on the media and said he's here say everything, we can respect his views.

GEORGE NEGUS: I guess what could be argued is why should the Australian Federal Police blow their investigation into cocaine smuggling to admit baggage handlers being involved were being investigated. Surely you wouldn't want to see cocaine smugglers go free?

VASU RASIAH: Are you say Schapelle is collateral damage then? They can afford to put Schapelle as a collateral damage for their investigation which had been happening for more than a decade.

GEORGE NEGUS: You said about a month ago now that the AFP all the way along, I think is what you said, has been the biggest obstruction in this case. Why are they lying so much, you said at the time. Do you still believe the Australian Federal Police are the biggest obstruction to Schapelle Corby getting a fair trial and the right result?

VASU RASIAH: Let me tell you what has happened and then you all judge. First, when we asked customs to make the customs police to do the fingerprints, they said they did not do that. We asked them can we bring our own experts to do the fingerprinting and the DNA testing. They said, "No, we will not approve your own experts unless of course they work together with AFP or AFP brings." Then we asked the police here "Can you request AFP?" they said, "No, it is your problem, you must request AFP." We contacted the Australian council and to contact AFP, AFP said they do not contact us directly must go through the counsel.

GEORGE NEGUS: You feel that that would have made a big difference to your case if that finserprinting had been investigated?

VASU RASIAH: Terrible difference. At the moment the case is only 50% investigated. The Bali narcotics director, came on the TV and told him according to him only 50% of the investigation had been carried out. Have you ever heard any case going to trial with only 50% of the investigation done?

GEORGE NEGUS: Can I ask you this - how long ago did you know about this Federal Police investigation? As I understand it, you believe that Interpol were aware of it and so was Mr Alexander Downer?

VASU RASIAH: The reports were given to us a few months ago and it clearly says a problem with the baggage handlers.

GEORGE NEGUS: You met with Mr Alexander Downer didn't you?

VASU RASIAH: We met on 24 November.

GEORGE NEGUS: Did you raise that with Alexander Downer when you met him?

VASU RASIAH: No, the only thing we raised with Alexander Downer at the time is to give a fair trial - all we want is to give a fair trial because all the crime to pay in Australia we wanted all the information to be released from the relevant department, the Qantas airport security and various other things and also to ask AFP to d the fingerprinting on the plastic bags, forensic testing on the boogey board bag as well as the cannabis.

GEORGE NEGUS: You're facing a verdict next week from the three judges, do you feel all that's happened over the 24 to 48 hours is a plus or a minus where Schapelle Corby is concerned?

VASU RASIAH: At the moment, the judges have retired to study the case and make a deliberation. So we can't bring any other evidence. But I mean it is very - what is the correct word - it's very disheartening to know that so many things were available to be given for - in the defence but nobody gave it to us.

GEORGE NEGUS: There's no talk of a prisoner exchange between Australia and Indonesia. Do you think that could work if your favour?

VASU RASIAH: I can't comment on that. I can't absolutely comment on that because our job here is to prove that she's innocent and to get her out. But to prove she's innocent we had all the information available with one authority or more in Australia but they would not give it to us deliberately.
And even now, even at this stage, even while they're deliberating if they come out and say "Yes, we were investigating, we couldn't give information before and this is what is happening" at this least this kind of thing could -

GEORGE NEGUS: You would like to see a public statement government to government about the situation where the baggage handling is concerned?

VASU RASIAH: Yes, I would like to see that.

GEORGE NEGUS: How can that happen without the Australian Government being seen as interfering in the Indonesian judicial system.

VASU RASIAH: The Government is using the word interfering very conveniently. But the actual word is additional information.

GEORGE NEGUS: At this stage show, Schapelle is facing a 1 billion rupee fine and life imprisonment. From your point of view and hers, what's the best outcome you can hope for next week?

VASU RASIAH: The best scenario is that she gets free completely.

GEORGE NEGUS: You're obviously having regular contact with Schapelle. How is she feeling at the moment about all of this? Does she feel heartened about what's happened in the last 48 hours and the Government's involvement.

VASU RASIAH: She's very depressed to know that the Government has let her down.

GEORGE NEGUS: So both you and Schapelle feel the Government hasn't gone far enough.

VASU RASIAH: Yes, we do feel that.

GEORGE NEGUS: Thanks for your time.