Bali Nine - History

History

Police were unclear how the two groups from Sydney and Brisbane were linked, but did establish the movements of members of the group before their departure for Indonesia. Several of the Bali Nine were employed by Eurest Australia, a multinational catering company of over 9,000 employees. Matthew Norman, Renae Lawrence, Martin Stephens, and Andrew Chan, a supervisor with the company, all worked for Eurest who provided hospitality services to the Sydney Cricket Ground where the group were employed. Rush and Czugaj claim they were recruited by fellow defendant and suspected financier of the smuggling plan, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen while socialising at a karaoke bar in Brisbane.

Rush had met Nguyen six months earlier whilst fishing. Rush travelled to Sydney with Nguyen to attend a 21st birthday party where he was introduced to Sukumaran, who called himself "Mark". Nguyen offered them free trips to Bali. Several days later Rush returned to Sydney with friend Michael Czugaj where plans for the pair's travel to Indonesia was organised. Rush and Czugaj had never travelled abroad. Lawrence had travelled to Bali on three occasions, first arriving on 16 October 2004, then again on 5 December 2004 and 6 April 2005. Matthew Norman on 5 December 2004, 19 January 2005 and 6 April 2005; Myuran Sukumaran on 4 October 2004 and 8 April 2005; Andrew Chan on 16 October 2004 and 6 April 2005 and Thac Duc Thanh Nguyen on 5 December 2004 and 8 April 2005. Chen, Stephens, Czugaj and Rush were on their first trip abroad when arrested on 17 April 2005.