FED: TV pictures of aid worker s spy confession fuzzy: Tapp

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-1999
FED: TV pictures of aid worker s spy confession fuzzy: Tapp

CANBERRA, April 12 AAP - Television pictures of CARE Australia aid worker Steve Pratt
showing him allegedly confessing to spying against Serbia were fuzzy profile shots, CARE
Australia's chief executive, Charles Tapp, said today.

Mr Pratt, 49, of Sydney, was detained by Yugoslav authorities with colleague Peter Wallace,
30, of Mackay, Queensland, on March 31 after they left Belgrade to head towards Montenegro to
help refugees.

He has been seen on Serbian state television RTS, but no mention was made of Mr Wallace.

"The positive thing is we've seen Steve on the television," Mr Tapp told ABC Radio.

"But he was seen in profile, it was slightly fuzzy, you couldn't see his eyes.

"I really feel for Steve; God knows what he's been through."

Mr Tapp said the spying allegations were ridiculous.

In the RTS appearance Mr Pratt said in English, with Serbian translation, that he had been
working on getting information on Kosovo and the effects of the bombing.

"I misused my Yugoslav citizen staff in the acquisition of information," Mr Pratt, a former
Army officer referred to as Major Pratt by RTS, said.

"I realise that damage was done to this country by these actions, for which I am frankly
sorry. I always did and I still do condemn the bombing of this country."

Mr Tapp said the statements were not very specific.

"It's very hard to know what to read into that but certainly I'd put any word 'confession'
in enormous inverted commas," he said.

Mr Tapp said Mr Pratt had been working with refugees in Yugoslavia for two years and
received a commendation from the Interior Ministry for his work just before being arrested.

He said Mr Pratt and Mr Wallace were humanitarian workers and CARE was apolitical and
worked with both Serb and Albanian refugees without discrimination.

Mr Tapp said CARE was demanding immediate consular access to the two aid workers but CARE
was still unable to find out where they were being detained.

"For Steve and for Peter and for their families it really is time this nightmare ended," Mr
Tapp said.

AAP fh/kr

KEYWORD: KOSOVO CARE TAPP

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