Armed men claiming to be supporters of Solomon Islands warlord Harold Keke attacked a newspaper office in neighbouring Papua New Guinea, the newspaper said.
The PNG Post-Courier daily said four armed men on Sunday attacked their bureau in Buka, Bougainville on Sunday. which is part of PNG and just across the border from the Solomon Islands, scene of a four-year civil war.
Keke, who last week admitted six missionary hostages were dead, operates on the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal but has family ties with Bougainville.
Post-Courier editor Oseah Philemon said four men armed with commando knives and a pump-action shotgun forced their way into the Post-Courier's office in central Buka and told chief correspondent Gorethy Kenneth to stop reporting on Keke's men being present in Buka.
Last Friday, the Post-Courier reported that Keke was planning to escape the Australian-led intervention force in the Solomons through Bougainville.
Kenneth said the men who burst into her office smashed computer equipment, ripped the telephone from the wall. One held a knife to her throat, threatening to kill her. When she laughed and said he could kill her without a knife, he slapped her face.
Kenneth said another man produced a pump-action shotgun and said they would return later and burn the Post-Courier's office down if the newspaper did not stop reporting issues concerning Keke's links to Bougainville.
Kenneth said after they left she called the PNG police in Buka to report the attack.
"The man who answered just laughed at me and hung up," she said.
Post-Courier managing director Bob Howarth said the newspaper then decided to close the bureau in Buka and fly Kenneth to a secret location for her personal safety.
"We will be making the strongest protest possible to the Police Minister and the Police Commissioner about the response to this dreadful attack on our correspondent and the ability of the media to report vital issues without threats," he added.
©AAP 2003
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Post Courier