The Australian Navy's border security procedures will not be made public during a coronial inquest into an asylum seeker boat explosion that killed five Afghanis in April.

Northern Territory coroner Greg Cavanagh, ahead of the inquest beginning in Darwin on Monday (January 25), upheld an application by the navy to exclude information that could jeopardise national security from the evidence brief.

It is understood the information relates to the use of force by naval officers, the maximum speed of patrol boats and fishing zone surveillance.

Mr Cavanagh said the navy had been very cooperative during an NT police investigation into the explosion and had "not sought to suppress matters that may be embarrassing".

The boat, referred to by the federal government as SIEV 36, was carrying almost 50 asylum seekers and two crew when it was intercepted by the navy in waters off Australia's northwestern coast on April 15 last year.

SIEV stands for Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel.

The boat was being towed to Christmas Island the next day when it exploded near Ashmore Reef, killing five of those on board and injuring more than 40.

The NT police investigation in October found that petrol from a bilge pump on the boat had been intentionally set alight.

Navy personal involved in the evacuation were cleared of any wrongdoing, and the investigation indicated that the fire may have been lit by one of the people killed in the explosion.

In late October Mohammad Tahir and a man known only as Beny were sentenced to five years' jail for smuggling people aboard the boat.

The two illiterate young men from poor fishing villages in Indonesia were at the helm of SIEV 36 when the Australian Navy closed in on the wooden fishing vessel.

A day later, suffering extensive burns, the two Indonesians were among the terrified and injured floating in the water near Ashmore Reef.

It is not yet known whether Tahir and Beny will be brought in to give evidence at the inquest.

Mr Cavanagh will hear evidence from more than 30 witnesses in relation to the deaths of Mohammad Ayubi, Muzafar Safarali, Mohammed Zamen, Bauer Husani and Awaz Nader.

Passengers on the boat, who are predominantly Afghanis, will give their accounts after naval officers and experts appear at the inquest.

Footage of events leading up to the explosion and still images of the vessels involved are expected to be released to the public after opening statements are heard on Monday.

Mr Cavanagh said visual evidence of the explosion would not be made public until later in the proceedings, due to concern it may influence witnesses before they give evidence.

Expected to run for three weeks, Mr Cavanagh said he would keep the inquest sitting until late each evening if required to ensure the matter was finalised within the time allocated.

by Larine Statham

Jan 24, 2010

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