Australian navy detains boat of suspected refugees

Australian officials have intercepted another boatload of suspected asylum seekers off the northwestern coast of Australia, the home affairs minister said Wednesday.

Bob Debus said 32 men were on board the small vessel, which the Border Protection Command detained about 60 miles (90 kilometers) from Barrow Island, off Western Australia state.

Debus said the men were believed to be Sri Lankan.

He said a plane spotted the boat and kept it under surveillance until it entered Australia's migration zone, at which point it was intercepted.

The group was being transported to Christmas Island, a remote Indian Ocean territory where the government detains and processes refugee applicants, Debus said.

Last week, a vessel carrying 47 hopeful refugees exploded at sea, killing five Afghan men. More than 30 injured people are still being treated at Australian hospitals.

Debus said the boat's interception Wednesday proved the effectiveness of the Border Protection Command, which patrols by sea and air to prevent boats from illegally reaching Australian shores.

"The Australian government is committed to strong border security arrangements to deal effectively and appropriately with people smugglers," Debus said.

But the latest boat - the seventh to illegally enter Australian waters this year - is certain to add fuel to an already heated political debate over the government's immigration policies.

The opposition says a relaxation of strict regulations last year has made Australia a more attractive destination for people-smugglers and their clients.

Last July, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd relaxed the mandatory detention policy for asylum seekers and allowed full residency visas for those who are accepted as refugees, rather than temporary visas granted by the previous government.

Since then, 14 boats carrying more than 430 people have entered Australian waters.

"We have people smugglers who've been given a come-on-down signal," opposition immigration spokeswoman Sharman Stone said. "Quite clearly the Rudd Labor government is not paying attention to this problem."