American ambassador brands Fiji coup leader 'terrorist'

SUVA, Fiji - The U.S. ambassador to Fiji branded coup leader George Speight a terrorist, saying Friday that he should be prosecuted for taking the island nation's government hostage.

It appears unlikely Speight will face trial for seizing Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and 30 other officials on May 19. The country's new military leaders have removed Chaudhry from office and promised Speight and his supporters amnesty if they release the captives.

Ambassador Osman Siddique called that a bad idea.

''I don't think he should get immunity. He is a common criminal, a terrorist and justice should be served to him,'' Siddique told journalists.

Influential tribal chiefs, meanwhile, huddled with Speight on Saturday, seeking for a second day to find a solution to the monthlong hostage crisis.

The chiefs, from Fiji's wealthy western provinces, had no comment as they entered the parliamentary compound where Speight and his rebels are holding the captives.

Two tribal chiefs and a delegation of Methodists - the largest church in Fiji - asked Speight on Friday to free the hostages. He refused.

The Methodists came to ''bring us food but they were not here to say we are in this camp or that camp,'' Speight said.

The tribal chiefs, all dressed in traditional ''sulu'' skirts, spent about two hours at Speight's camp in the parliamentary complex on Friday, praying and drinking the mild sedative kava before talks got underway, but no progress in ending the standoff was reported.

''It was a good meeting, a great meeting,'' Speight said later without elaboration.

After seeing Speight, the chiefs went to visit Fiji's military rulers, who seized power after Speight had thrown Fiji into crisis.

In a statement released after the meeting, the military said the chiefs had presented a proposed solution to the crisis and the army had noted it. ''No decision was reached, nor was one expected,'' the military said.

Speight and his rebels launched their coup to win more power for Fiji's indigenous majority.

Chaudhry was the first person to hold that post from the 44 percent of Fiji's population who are ethnic Indian. The rebels want Fijians of Indian descent barred from leadership of this nation 2,250 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia.

Fijian nationalists have been angered by Chaudhry's attempts to persuade Fijian landowners to renew expiring leases on farmland held by thousands of ethnic Indian tenants.

Talks between Speight and the army broke down a week ago after military leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama said he would entertain no more of Speight's demands. Bainimarama had already agreed to scrap the 1997 constitution - blamed by Fijians for giving too much power to Indians - and to oust Fiji's president.

The political crisis has already begun to take a devastating toll on Fiji's economy. Government economists believe $100 million in government revenue will be lost as a result of the coup and unemployment could rise by up to 20 percent.

In a press release, workers and others affected by the turmoil announced they will march through Suva on Monday to protest Speight ''holding our country to ransom.''