An Indonesian boat carrying 187 asylum seekers intercepted by the Australian navy about 1,500 kilometers off western Australia was taken into tow after its crew disabled the vessel, government ministers said Monday.
But Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock's spokesman would not say if the crippled boat would be towed to Australia's remote Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island.
He said HMAS Adelaide had put a line on the boat to hold its position off Christmas Island while the government tried to persuade Indonesia to take responsibility for the refugees.
However, Christmas Island harbor master Don O'Donnell said about 15 Australian Correctional Management staff had set up a camp at the island's basketball court as if they were preparing for people to arrive.
"Last I heard it was being towed in here but no-one is actually saying anything," he added.
Justice and Customs Minister Chris Ellison confirmed the boat was about 45 kilometers off the coast and was under tow but declined to give its destination.
"The Navy has the vessel under tow - I understand it has been sabotaged by the people on board," he said.
"What will then happen is an operational matter and I cannot comment on that," he added.
HMAS Adelaide fired shots across the bow of the Indonesian boat on Sunday in an attempt to force it to leave Australian waters.
Officials say refugees then threw children, wearing life jackets, off the boat to force the navy to rescue them.
A party from the Adelaide was sent aboard to see if help was required but also to warn the captain and crew of stiff new penalties for anyone caught smuggling illegal immigrants into Australian territory.
Ruddock had earlier told Channel Nine TV the US-led military strikes in Afghanistan overnight would not change Australia's attitude to boat people fleeing the region.
He said Australia had always been prepared to help people fleeing Afghanistan, particularly those in neighboring countries such as Iran and Pakistan.
But he claimed many coming to Australia in boats had lived outside Afghanistan for many years and could only be classed as illegal immigrants.
"Our approach has never been in opposition to people who are fleeing persecution," he said.
"Some of the worst manipulation we saw yesterday with groups of people who are intent on reaching Australia using their children in the most deplorable way to try to put pressure on us," he said.
Ruddock said the current war zone was in Afghanistan and people who had been safe and secure in other parts of the world did not have an entitlement to come to Australia.
"The help and assistance we want to give is to those people who do flee and have no money and are left in the most deplorable circumstances," he said.
"Very often that's in places like Iran and Pakistan. Our help and assistance has been targeted to those who are in need.
"It is important that we still distinguish those who have proper claims and those that don't."
In the past month Australia has refused entry to almost a thousand boat people since Prime Minister John Howard refused permission for a Norwegian container ship, the Tampa, to enter Australian waters after it saved more than 400 mostly Afghan asylum seekers from a sinking Indonesian boat.
The group has since been transferred to the South Pacific republic of Nauru aboard an Australian warship to have applications for refugee status assessed by United Nations officials.
In return, the tiny Pacific state is receiving $10 million in aid.
Australia signaled its tough new stance against asylum seekers in September with the Border Protection Bill, which withdrew recognition of asylum claims lodged on remote territories off the country's northwest coast.
Christmas Island lies 1,500 kilometers west of the Australian mainland and 350 kilometers south of Indonesia.
The navy has also since been empowered to tow vessels used by people smugglers operating from Indonesia back to sea -- SYDNEY (AFP)
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