Corby defence calls for Keelty's head

Schapelle Corby's defence team has called for Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty to stand down for publicly commenting on her case.

Corby's Australian lawyer Robin Tampoe and financial backer Ron Bakir criticised Mr. Keelty for describing intelligence supporting her defence of being an unwitting drug mule as flimsy.

Their concerns were echoed by Law Council of Australia president John North, who said Mr. Keelty had acted dangerously by weighing into the Corby case.

Mr. North said the nation's top cop would have "run a grave risk of being found in contempt of court" if the Gold Coast beauty student was being tried in Australia.

Corby, 27, is accused of smuggling 4.1kg of marijuana into Bali on October 8 last year.

She faces life in prison if Indonesian judges agree with prosecution demands when they hand down their verdict on May 27.

Mr. Tampoe questioned the reasons behind Mr. Keelty's comments, pointing out that he had refused to allow AFP personnel to testify at any stage of the trial.

"It's our very firm belief that an enormous amount of damage was done by inappropriate comments (made), not just in the last few days but over the last few months, by Mr. Keelty," Mr. Tampoe told a news conference.

"It's time now for something to be done. Mr. Keelty needs to be accountable and we'd like to know what our government's prepared to do."

Mr. Tampoe and Mr. Bakir also appealed to the federal government to seek a pardon from their Indonesian counterparts if Corby is found guilty.

"If Schapelle Corby is convicted ... we are asking that the Australian government step in, take ownership and ask for her to be pardoned because what's happening to her is a total injustice," Mr. Bakir said.

"We are going to make the request because this is an extraordinary case and our belief is that it is impossible for Schapelle Corby to get a fair trial because all the evidence she required was not attainable."

The pair dismissed suggestions that the discovery of drugs in Corby's body board bag and the exposure of an alleged cocaine smuggling racket among corrupt Qantas baggage handlers was a coincidence.

A man charged over the cocaine importation conspiracy said Qantas baggage handlers were paid $300,000 to smuggle a briefcase containing 9.9kg of cocaine through Sydney International Airport on the same day Corby left for Bali.

Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said he could not rule out any link between the two cases.

Schapelle Corby's boogie-board bag was processed at Sydney Airport's international terminal on the same day a Qantas baggage handler allegedly smuggled 10kg of cocaine out of the airport from another plane.

A courier known as "Walker" arrived in Sydney on October 8 last year with a briefcase containing the cocaine.

It was checked in then smuggled out of the airport by baggage handlers allegedly paid $300,000 for the operation, according to a police brief handed to Sydney's Central Court on Wednesday.

The incident happened on the same day Corby flew with the Qantas airline to Sydney and continued on an Australian Airlines flight to Bali, where a plastic bag containing 4.1kg of cannabis was found in her bag.

Corby's Australian lawyer Robin Tampoe said the revelations could be the 27-year-old's last line of defence against charges of importing drugs to Indonesia.

"We're dealing with the same crew of baggage handlers on the same day and the federal police say the two are not linked," Mr. Tampoe said.

Law Council of Australia president John North criticised Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty for jeopardising Corby's chances of a fair trial.

Mr. North was responding to Mr. Keelty's comments suggesting police intelligence did not support Corby's defence that she was the victim of a drug-smuggling operation by airport baggage handlers.

"It is potentially damaging to the Corby defence as it will no doubt be transmitted to Bali," Mr. North said.

Mr. Tampoe called Mr. Keelty's comments "an absolute disgrace" and said he seemed to have a vendetta against Corby.

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