Indonesia shrugs off Aust anger on deaths

Indonesia has defended the execution of eight drug convicts, including Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, and shrugged off Australia's anger.

The executions of eight people including Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran went according to the plans of Indonesia's attorney-general, who isn't worried about any resulting diplomatic "ripples".

HM Prasetyo visited Nusakambangan on Wednesday, hours after the Bali Nine pair were executed with other drug offenders.

The eight convicts - two from Australia, one from Brazil, four from Africa and one from Indonesia - were put to death by firing squad early on Wednesday, despite strident international appeals and pleas from family members.

A Filipina originally set to be executed was given an 11th hour reprieve.

"This is a warning for others, don't even try to commit these drug crimes, to think a thousand times, that Indonesia will be strict, will be harsh on drug crimes," he told reporters in Cilacap.

The executions were performed at 12.35am on Wednesday, he said, with a stated time of death 30 minutes later.

Prasetyo said each of the eight had been executed simultaneously by a 13-member firing squad. Medical teams confirmed their deaths three minutes later, he said.

"The result of the second execution was better, more orderly and more perfect than the last," he said, referring to executions carried out in January and noting the bodies were treated more "humanely" this time.

He wasn't worried how other nations would react.

"This is a momentary ripple," he said. "It's the diplomatic domain. There will be solution."

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said he will recall the country's ambassador, Paul Grigson, from Jakarta.

At a press conference In Jakarta, Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir refused to take questions on the unfolding diplomatic crisis with Australia.

Mr Prasetyo confirmed Filipina Mary Jane Veloso had been given a reprieve "a few moments before taking her to the execution site" on the urging of the Philippines government.

A woman on Tuesday surrendered herself to police who had so far failed to investigate claims Veloso was a victim of human trafficking.

The single mum whose story captured many hearts will be moved from Nusakambangan to her former Central Java jail, pending the investigation.


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Source: AAP


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