Army invades family home 25sep02
A CENTRAL Queensland family was traumatised after armed soldiers accidentally invaded the wrong house during a military exercise. The Australian Army has apologised to the family and is investigating how the incident occurred on Sunday. It is understood senior army and air force officers have been to Curtis Island, between Rockhampton and Gladstone, in the wake of the accidental invasion. Revelations about the incident followed criticisms soldiers in the Rockhampton- based Exercise Swift Eagle were illegally stopping motorists entering the central Queensland city's airport. But the army has brushed aside criticisms of both incidents, hailing the community support for the exercise, a mock mass-evacuation from an overseas trouble spot. Swift Eagle involved more than 2000 personnel from the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces. More than 800 civilians have volunteered for the exercise, as willing or troublesome evacuees as well as protesters. Curtis Island has a handful of residents and a lighthouse and is used mostly for grazing. But on Sunday a group of camouflaged soldiers confronted a family, although the army said they realised their mistake almost immediately. Captain Jason Logue said the army had launched an official investigation into the incident. He said although the soldiers carried real weapons they were not carrying live ammunition. "A civilian family, a civilian group, has been caught up in a military training activity," Capt Logue said. "A small number of soldiers have inadvertently strayed on to private property." Capt Logue said the army was "liaising very closely with the family with regards to what support and assistance they require". "We've obviously expressed our apologies to them and it's very unfortunate that it's happened to them," Capt Logue said. He said there had been a "tremendous amount of community support" from central Queensland residents. Capt Logue said the investigation would take about a week. An island resident connected to the invaded property said he did not wish to speak about the incident until the investigation was complete. Earlier this week the Australian Council of Civil Liberties criticised soldiers for stopping cars at the Rockhampton Airport, saying they had no power to do so. Council president Terry O'Gorman said the soldiers were "overstepping the line" in enforcing civil laws. http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,5163780%255E421,00 .html
