Indonesian court clears five Australians

Five Australians held for nine months in West Papua for immigration offences have
been cleared by Indonesia's Supreme Court.
The five - pilot William Scott-Bloxam, his wife Vera, and passengers Keith Mortimer,
Hubert Hofer and Karen Burke - were arrested last September for flying into the
troubled Indonesian province without visas.
They were sentenced to jail, but their convictions were overturned on appeal earlier
this year.
But before the group could flee Indonesia, authorities banned them from leaving the
provincial capital Merauke so prosecutors could appeal to the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court spokesman Hatta Ali on Wednesday said the court agreed with the
appeals court.
"The judges have refused all appeals from prosecutors," Ali said.
"They (the Australians) are freed."
Comment was being sought from the group.
There are strict restrictions placed on visiting Papua, troubled by a low-level
separatist insurgency since the 1960s.