Facebook users post photographs of alleged Australian bushfire arsonist

[Turborama]

Source: The Guardian

Pictures and address of man alleged to have begun deadly blaze in Churchill area put on social networking site despite court ban.

Ellen Connolly in Sydney

The man charged over his role in Australia's deadly bushfires was a loner obsessed with fire and was bitter about an ex-girlfriend, it was claimed today. Brendan Sokaluk, 39, a former volunteer firefighter, is facing one count of deadly arson and one of lighting a wildfire in connection with a fire around the town of Churchill, in which at least 11 people were killed.

As the only person so far charged with starting some of the fires which have killed 189 people in total, Sokaluk has been the focus of much of the anger among the Australian population. At a Victoria court hearing today, magistrate John Klestadt lifted the suppression order on Sokaluk's name but ordered that his photograph and address should not be released. Sokaluk, who has been in protective custody since Friday, was in the court precinct but did not appear because of security concerns. Despite the court order, at least three Facebook groups had already "named and shamed" him, and have posted his photograph.

"Tie the bastard to a post and put a ring of fire around him ... let the fire make its way to him and make him suffer like the other 100's of people had to endure," wrote one. And from another: "He should be thrown into his creation and left to burn." According to neighbours, Sokaluk was a loner who loved to play with fire. At least once a month he would light a backyard blaze that would blanket the neighbourhood in smoke. "Quite often at night you would see thick black smoke coming from his backyard," one neighbour told the Australian. "He must have been burning rubber or tyres because it was really strong on the nose. We would have to shut all the windows." Other reports suggested he was in a relationship with a volunteer firefighter. Remarks on his MySpace page suggest his suspicion that the woman had been unfaithful.

Sokaluk, who has no friends on his Facebook page, seems preoccupied with love, revenge and finding a girlfriend. Writing about himself, he says: "I'm a young happy male who wants to meet a young loven female to marrid." He also wrote: "My hero is mother earth — without her we all would be dead."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/16/australia-bushfires-facebook

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Bush fire Facebook users invite charges

Source: UPI

SYDNEY, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Facebook users calling for the torture of a man suspected of starting a deadly Australian bush fire could find themselves in legal trouble, an expert says.

Australian courts have banned the publication of photos of 39-year-old Brendan Sokaluk, who has been charged with arson in causing the deaths of 11 people in the Churchill-Jerralang fires in Gippsland, Victoria. But creators and users of the Internet networking Web site Facebook have done just that, posting Sokaluk's image along with comments calling for him to be "burned at the stake," the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Monday.

Terry O'Gorman, president of the Australian Council of Civil Liberties, said creators and members of the Facebook groups, some of which have more than 2,000 members, could face contempt-of-court charges and even succeed in preventing a trial for Sokaluk.

"They should be immediately be ordered by the court and immediately told by the police to take the photographs down," O'Gorman said told the ABC. "If they continue to publish the photograph in contravention of a court suppression order when they know such a suppression order is in place, they could well face contempt charges."

Read More: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/02/16/Bush_fire_Facebook_users_invite_charges/UPI-56861234816823/

[Posteritatis]

1. Considering the BBC posted pictures... (nt)

[depakid]

2. The Telegraph published the photo's on Saturday in its print edition

along with other details.

We were surprised to see them, as the matter is sub judis, even though the Telgraph is well known for inciting anger and violence. It might seem odd to people in the states, but Australians take pre-trial publicity very seriously as part due process for ensuring that defendants receive fair trials.