§ Ann ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if UK military personnel provided advice to the Indonesian Armed Forces in respect of their 9 May 1996 assault on the village of Geselama to rescue foreign and Indonesian hostages held by West Papuan rebels; and what UK military personnel were(a) present at and (b) took part in the assault. [116106]
§ Mr. BattleI have been asked to reply.
I refer to the reply given by the then Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon) on 23 July 1999, Official Report, column 727W. We worked closely with the Indonesian authorities to help ensure the safe release of the hostages. But Her Majesty's Government does not comment on the operational aspects of kidnap cases.