Fijian Red Cross director believed murdered

The head of the Red Cross Society in Fiji, who played a key mediating role in last year's political hostage crisis, was believed…

The head of the Red Cross Society in Fiji, who played a key mediating role in last year's political hostage crisis, was believed to have been murdered at his home in the capital Suva.

Police officials said two bodies were discovered at the home of Australian Mr John Scott early today.

"The bodies of two men were found but we cannot yet confirm the identities," a police spokesman said.

However police sources said one of the murdered men was Mr Scott. Fiji Television reported that a cane knife was found at the scene and two men were in police custody, but no charges had yet been laid.

READ MORE

Robbery had not been ruled out as the motive for the murders. Mr Scott played a key role last year when a gang led by failed businessman Mr George Speight stormed parliament on May 19th and took then Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and his government hostage for 56 days.

Mr Scott was one of the first outsiders to be allowed into the parliamentary compound and he set up a system for mail and food to be delivered to the hostages.