By Rob Taylor in Denpasar - May 6, 2005
INDONESIAN police have threatened to crack down on foreign journalists covering the Schapelle Corby trial and investigations into the Bali Nine after they accused an Australian TV crew of illegally taping conversations with a suspect.
The chief spokesman for Bali police, Colonel AS Reniban, claimed the crew had secretly placed a radio microphone on one of the Bali Nine's parents, who had visited their son behind bars.
Col Reniban said Australian journalists in Bali were not respecting local laws or Indonesian journalistic ethics.
He also complained about the chaos of media scrums.
Last month a window at Bali's police headquarters was broken in a crush of reporters, photographers and cameramen.
"First, the glass of the investigation room was broken. Now they are tapping a suspect conversations in a private room," he told the Bali Post newspaper.
"The case is now being investigated by the intelligence and security directorate.
"If it's proven they violated the rules, there will be sanctions."
That might include tougher rules for family visits for detainees, he said.
Sources said police and immigration officials might also start checking the visas of foreign media.
AAP
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