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Images Released Of Christmas Island Detention Centre Disturbance

Smashed Windows, Torched Offices: Images Released Of Christmas Island Disturbance
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The Department of Immigration and Border Protection has released a set of images showing the destruction and chaos left in the wake of the "major disturbance" at the Christmas Island detention facility.

Photos of ransacked and torched offices, smashed windows, a trashed laundry and damaged walls give the first proper look inside the immigration detention centre since inmates began protesting after the death of a fellow detainee in recent days. Other images appear to show detainees lighting a projectile of some sort.

Christmas Island

The ABC is reporting seven men involved in the disturbance are now being transported to Australia, with the men -- who identified themselves to ABC staff as New Zealanders -- claiming they were being taken to Perth. ABC political reporter Matthew Doran said Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's office had confirmed the transportation.

As reported earlier today, Dutton defended putting convicted criminals with what he calls "extreme" refugees in the Christmas Island detention centre. The damage from the riots is estimated to have cost more than a million dollars.

Five detainees were slightly injured in the operation to take back control of the centre, which was sparked by the weekend death of escaped Kurdish Iranian detainee Fazal Chegeni.

The Minister said “reasonable necessary force” was used against a “hardened group” of detainees, including tear gas, while he has not denied reports that rubber bullets were also used.

“There are reports of an inmate with a chainsaw and so the police will respond accordingly," Dutton told ABC radio.

He said attempts at negotiations failed with some detainees who had barricaded themselves in with improvised weapons.

The Minister has also accused them of exploiting tensions after the escapee’s death.

“The thing people need to recognise that we are dealing here with outlaw motorcycle gang members, people who have been involved in extortion and other serious criminal offences,” he said.

“That's a threat posed and the police used reasonable necessary force to quell the situation.”

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