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Bali 9: The Untold Story, Now Fully Updated
When a plan goes badly wrong, nine Australians pay a heavy price.
On 17 April 2005, nine young Australians were arrested in Bali on charges of drug trafficking. Known as the 'Bali 9', some members received the death penalty for their crimes; others are serving lengthy jail sentences. Journalists Cindy Wockner and Madonna King, who were present at the trials and sentencing, have used their investigative skills to piece together the whole story, from arrest to jail to the harrowing final journey. With the co-operation of several family members of the Bali 9, they explore the histories of the nine to uncover why these young people would take such a perilous risk. they also look at the controversial role of the Australian Federal Police. A compelling, clear-eyed portrait of an unforgettable chapter in Australia's history, Bali 9 features details and photographs from the trials. It also serves as a chilling warning to all parents: this could be your child.
With ring-leaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran about to face a firing squad after being denied presidential pardons, the story of the Bali 9 is current, compelling and impossible to turn away from.
On 17 April 2005, nine young Australians were arrested in Bali on charges of drug trafficking. Known as the 'Bali 9', some members received the death penalty for their crimes; others are serving lengthy jail sentences. Journalists Cindy Wockner and Madonna King, who were present at the trials and sentencing, have used their investigative skills to piece together the whole story, from arrest to jail to the harrowing final journey. With the co-operation of several family members of the Bali 9, they explore the histories of the nine to uncover why these young people would take such a perilous risk. they also look at the controversial role of the Australian Federal Police. A compelling, clear-eyed portrait of an unforgettable chapter in Australia's history, Bali 9 features details and photographs from the trials. It also serves as a chilling warning to all parents: this could be your child.
With ring-leaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran about to face a firing squad after being denied presidential pardons, the story of the Bali 9 is current, compelling and impossible to turn away from.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 5, 2015
Finished last night.
Not a very good book alas. I had never heard about this except when I read about 2 Aussies being executed in Indonesia. Then I remembered I had a book about the Bali 9 somewhere.
Wish I had known before but people that say this is a good book must not have read many good books because this was not a good book.
It was biased,it jumped plus a lot of unnecessary repetition which there was no need for but the former was what made me not like this book much.
It was obvious the author had a good relation with the dad of that horrible woman, what is her name? Renae Lawrence.
She was trying to portray her as a victim and did not really criticize all the lies Mrs Lawrence told or the disgusting way she treated her father.
I was pissed of when I learned this woman did get a much nicer punishment than the others. Why? She was the only one who had done it before (twice!)and lied about it
I just think that if they all had to be punished she should have gotten just as much as Rush,Chen and the others.
Plus the fact that only she was not so young I am really pissed of.
Yes I do feel the other were punished way too much because they were all so young minus 1. We all made mistakes.
So sad that Andre and Myuran where killed and made out to be the bad guys..
The author did so in this book. She hardly writes about those 2 and makes them out to be big and mean but then I read that even though the others accused them of making them do it which is ridiculous and proved a lie that there is hardly any talk about it.
Chan and Myuran did forgive them apparently because you see photos where they are laughing together.
I think how they behaved after they were caught and all those years they were in prison earns respect
I have been strolling the internet and do not see much on all the finger pointing of Lawrence and Stephens especially.
There was just as much if not more info online.
Not a very good book alas. I had never heard about this except when I read about 2 Aussies being executed in Indonesia. Then I remembered I had a book about the Bali 9 somewhere.
Wish I had known before but people that say this is a good book must not have read many good books because this was not a good book.
It was biased,it jumped plus a lot of unnecessary repetition which there was no need for but the former was what made me not like this book much.
It was obvious the author had a good relation with the dad of that horrible woman, what is her name? Renae Lawrence.
She was trying to portray her as a victim and did not really criticize all the lies Mrs Lawrence told or the disgusting way she treated her father.
I was pissed of when I learned this woman did get a much nicer punishment than the others. Why? She was the only one who had done it before (twice!)and lied about it
I just think that if they all had to be punished she should have gotten just as much as Rush,Chen and the others.
Plus the fact that only she was not so young I am really pissed of.
Yes I do feel the other were punished way too much because they were all so young minus 1. We all made mistakes.
So sad that Andre and Myuran where killed and made out to be the bad guys..
The author did so in this book. She hardly writes about those 2 and makes them out to be big and mean but then I read that even though the others accused them of making them do it which is ridiculous and proved a lie that there is hardly any talk about it.
Chan and Myuran did forgive them apparently because you see photos where they are laughing together.
I think how they behaved after they were caught and all those years they were in prison earns respect
I have been strolling the internet and do not see much on all the finger pointing of Lawrence and Stephens especially.
There was just as much if not more info online.
April 7, 2015
I purchased this book as it seems to be the only one available about the Bali 9, to bad it is so dated. I have some mixed feelings regarding this story and it participants.
1. I am still not sure why the Australian drug enforcement allowed the participants to be arrested in Bali rather than in Australia, both countries have claimed that they wanted to know and identify any members in Bali as well as they network that brought the drugs into Bali. It that is true they failed miserably at this goal.
2. Clearly the Indonesian criminal justice system is a very scary joke. They claim drug dealers are scum and want the death penalty for all of them and harsh sentences for drug use, yet they are laughably inconsistent in the administration of these standards when the guilty party is Indonesian, furthermore the Bali 9 were taking the drugs out of Bali not bringing them in!
3. I personally don't think any of the 9 has ever told the whole truth regarding themselves and what they knew of the other knowledge and participation. Lawrence the sole female, was in Bali 6 months earlier with Chan and the passport records prove it. For her to later say she didn't courier drugs then, is laughable. The other 3 couriers are not at all believable, they would have to be enormously ignorant, naive, and or stupid to 1. Think the trip to Bali, was out of the goodness of the heart of those paying for it, 2. Painfully stupid not to know what was being taped to their bodies, 3. The whole "our families were threatened" is right right our of every crappy Hollywood movie, 4. Since the two or three (depending on who you sort of believe) ringleaders were not with the members who would courier the drugs, at all times a simple call to the Australian consulate would have been a good call for one or more of them to make.
I think everyone involved knew exactly what was happening and the promise of money at the end motivated them. Do they deserve life in prison or worse the death penalty? Yes the ringleaders deserve the death penalty in that they knew that was the Indonesian answer to drugs in the amount they had. For the rest of them I don't know, what I do know is Everyone needs to be reminded repeatedly that what you do in other countries can have severe consequences, and it is not the job of your home government to bail you out. Some people are innocent and in these type of cases their governments can, should and usually do everything they can to help, but to expect the Australian government to try and dictate terms and desires to the Indonesian government is absurd, all so these drug dealers/couriers can spend their sentence closer to home is crazy.
1. I am still not sure why the Australian drug enforcement allowed the participants to be arrested in Bali rather than in Australia, both countries have claimed that they wanted to know and identify any members in Bali as well as they network that brought the drugs into Bali. It that is true they failed miserably at this goal.
2. Clearly the Indonesian criminal justice system is a very scary joke. They claim drug dealers are scum and want the death penalty for all of them and harsh sentences for drug use, yet they are laughably inconsistent in the administration of these standards when the guilty party is Indonesian, furthermore the Bali 9 were taking the drugs out of Bali not bringing them in!
3. I personally don't think any of the 9 has ever told the whole truth regarding themselves and what they knew of the other knowledge and participation. Lawrence the sole female, was in Bali 6 months earlier with Chan and the passport records prove it. For her to later say she didn't courier drugs then, is laughable. The other 3 couriers are not at all believable, they would have to be enormously ignorant, naive, and or stupid to 1. Think the trip to Bali, was out of the goodness of the heart of those paying for it, 2. Painfully stupid not to know what was being taped to their bodies, 3. The whole "our families were threatened" is right right our of every crappy Hollywood movie, 4. Since the two or three (depending on who you sort of believe) ringleaders were not with the members who would courier the drugs, at all times a simple call to the Australian consulate would have been a good call for one or more of them to make.
I think everyone involved knew exactly what was happening and the promise of money at the end motivated them. Do they deserve life in prison or worse the death penalty? Yes the ringleaders deserve the death penalty in that they knew that was the Indonesian answer to drugs in the amount they had. For the rest of them I don't know, what I do know is Everyone needs to be reminded repeatedly that what you do in other countries can have severe consequences, and it is not the job of your home government to bail you out. Some people are innocent and in these type of cases their governments can, should and usually do everything they can to help, but to expect the Australian government to try and dictate terms and desires to the Indonesian government is absurd, all so these drug dealers/couriers can spend their sentence closer to home is crazy.
August 8, 2024
This book was 300+ pages when it could’ve easily been 150 MAX
March 3, 2024
Back in 2005, not long after Schapelle Corby's story had brought Indonesia's brutal drug smuggling laws to international attention, nine young Australians attempted to fly home with 8kg of heroin strapped to their bodies. Nearly twenty years later, most of the big questions remain unanswered.
Why'd they do it? Did they know the risk? And why did Australia serve them up on a platter for the Indonesian authorities knowing full well they'd face the death penalty?
Those questions don't find satisfactory answers in this book. To be fair, I guess there's only so much you can uncover in a case where every testimony is unreliable, the main players are still behind bars (or executed), and the legal system is notoriously haphazard.
But it's hard to ignore a few journalistic failings too. The authors' dogged belief in the innocence of the Bali 9 rings through on most pages, where they're variously described as scared little boys and virtuous, family-oriented kids who had no idea what they were getting into. To be clear, I'm not one of those people who were cheering for the firing squad on talkback radio when these guys were first nabbed - but they did choose to shove 8kg of heroin under their hawaiian shirts in exchange for a quick buck. Skirting around that fact seems disingenuous.
To this effect, potentially incriminating details are glossed over or omitted entirely. Renae Lawrence had made the run before - but that's barely mentioned. Supposedly Matthew Norman had as well, but that's not covered either. And we're supposed to believe that Scott Rush and Michael Czugaj accepted a free, no-strings-attached holiday from a total stranger in a nightclub with literally no ulterior motive. Also there's precisely zero mention of how Chan or Sukumuran got a start in this business. Supposedly they were just diligent workers who did well at school and... somehow ended up setting up an international drug smuggling ring between catering shifts. Any evidence of personal choice or accountability is scrupulously avoided in favour of this lambs-to-the-slaughter narrative.
Further case in point: only in the last few pages do the authors casually mention that some of the accused might have had prior criminal records. Not once is it mentioned in the gushing biographical expositions given for each person at the start of the book. Granted, a prior record doesn't make them any more or less guilty, but it's maddeningly obvious that the authors have buried these details to further their own bias.
The more I write this the more I'm convinced this is a useless book, but at the very least it was a quick, pacy read and an interesting refresher on a case that has largely disappeared from the media. Just don't trust it.
Why'd they do it? Did they know the risk? And why did Australia serve them up on a platter for the Indonesian authorities knowing full well they'd face the death penalty?
Those questions don't find satisfactory answers in this book. To be fair, I guess there's only so much you can uncover in a case where every testimony is unreliable, the main players are still behind bars (or executed), and the legal system is notoriously haphazard.
But it's hard to ignore a few journalistic failings too. The authors' dogged belief in the innocence of the Bali 9 rings through on most pages, where they're variously described as scared little boys and virtuous, family-oriented kids who had no idea what they were getting into. To be clear, I'm not one of those people who were cheering for the firing squad on talkback radio when these guys were first nabbed - but they did choose to shove 8kg of heroin under their hawaiian shirts in exchange for a quick buck. Skirting around that fact seems disingenuous.
To this effect, potentially incriminating details are glossed over or omitted entirely. Renae Lawrence had made the run before - but that's barely mentioned. Supposedly Matthew Norman had as well, but that's not covered either. And we're supposed to believe that Scott Rush and Michael Czugaj accepted a free, no-strings-attached holiday from a total stranger in a nightclub with literally no ulterior motive. Also there's precisely zero mention of how Chan or Sukumuran got a start in this business. Supposedly they were just diligent workers who did well at school and... somehow ended up setting up an international drug smuggling ring between catering shifts. Any evidence of personal choice or accountability is scrupulously avoided in favour of this lambs-to-the-slaughter narrative.
Further case in point: only in the last few pages do the authors casually mention that some of the accused might have had prior criminal records. Not once is it mentioned in the gushing biographical expositions given for each person at the start of the book. Granted, a prior record doesn't make them any more or less guilty, but it's maddeningly obvious that the authors have buried these details to further their own bias.
The more I write this the more I'm convinced this is a useless book, but at the very least it was a quick, pacy read and an interesting refresher on a case that has largely disappeared from the media. Just don't trust it.
March 29, 2015
This book is a bit dated now as it was published in 2008 but it gives the reader an outline of how things unfolded for the Bali 9. It begins by providing a brief biography of each of the young people except for Myuran Sukumaran. This is probably because Sukamaran went to school in the UK and not in Australia as quite a bit of the background information about the other 8 has been gleaned from people they went to school with.
The book also covers the original trials but you need to turn to the internet for more recent information about the twists and turns that have occured since. For example, some of the 9 were represented by the same legal team and appealed to one particular Indonesian Court while others had different legal representation and appealed on different grounds to different Courts. Scott Rush, for example, was assisted in his appeal against the death sentence in August 26, 2010, when the AFP provided a letter stating that he played only a minor role in the drug-smuggling ring. The AFP commissioner Mick Keelty also testified in court on his behalf and in May 2011 Rush's death sentence was reduced to life in prison.
The original trials that are outlined in the book seem to have been very messy with some of the 9 agreeing to act as witnesses against the others, all of the trials being conducted through translators, some of the 9 totally contradicting what they said when they were origianlly arrested, and so on, and so on. The defense of some that they had no idea what was in the packages that had been strapped to their bodies, that they only agreed to participate because Chan and Sukumaran had threatened to kill them and members of their families, all seem a bit far fetched. However, I think that a reader would have to very hard hearted indeed not to feel sorry for the young people and not to feel very sad for them and their families.
The book also covers the original trials but you need to turn to the internet for more recent information about the twists and turns that have occured since. For example, some of the 9 were represented by the same legal team and appealed to one particular Indonesian Court while others had different legal representation and appealed on different grounds to different Courts. Scott Rush, for example, was assisted in his appeal against the death sentence in August 26, 2010, when the AFP provided a letter stating that he played only a minor role in the drug-smuggling ring. The AFP commissioner Mick Keelty also testified in court on his behalf and in May 2011 Rush's death sentence was reduced to life in prison.
The original trials that are outlined in the book seem to have been very messy with some of the 9 agreeing to act as witnesses against the others, all of the trials being conducted through translators, some of the 9 totally contradicting what they said when they were origianlly arrested, and so on, and so on. The defense of some that they had no idea what was in the packages that had been strapped to their bodies, that they only agreed to participate because Chan and Sukumaran had threatened to kill them and members of their families, all seem a bit far fetched. However, I think that a reader would have to very hard hearted indeed not to feel sorry for the young people and not to feel very sad for them and their families.
May 4, 2015
Well written but clearly opinionated
I became friends with Myuran sukamaran after reading this book. I literally tracked him down because of, the dark, biast way that he, and Andrew Chan were portrayed in this book. Turns out that, this way an extraordinary young man. Myuran and, Andrew have now been executed. I. Feel the authors of this book have blood on their hands
I became friends with Myuran sukamaran after reading this book. I literally tracked him down because of, the dark, biast way that he, and Andrew Chan were portrayed in this book. Turns out that, this way an extraordinary young man. Myuran and, Andrew have now been executed. I. Feel the authors of this book have blood on their hands
March 31, 2022
Quick and easy read, finished in 2 days. Great detail of the story. Of course I already knew the basics but to know the full details of what they have all gone through was very fascinating. Needed some additional research after finishing the book as it was written just after they were all sentenced and a lot has changed since then.
December 27, 2022
It was pretty good but not great. Also it was updated in 2008, 2yrs after its first release so it’s incredibly dated now. I’d be very interested in having it updated NOW…15yrs later with 2 executed, 1 released, 1 die of natural causes & the rest being moved to different prisons.
An update on their journey these last nearly 20yrs would be great
An update on their journey these last nearly 20yrs would be great
April 5, 2018
I got it via E-Book.
I had to keep reminding myself that this was a true story.
Excellent, captivating and hauntingly real. Enjoy reading it.
I had to keep reminding myself that this was a true story.
Excellent, captivating and hauntingly real. Enjoy reading it.
August 27, 2019
Well written. Gave me a greater understanding of the events and the people involved.
November 22, 2016
Australia has a special relationship with Indonesia in general and Bali in particular. The Indonesian Archipelago arches across the top half of Australia. Bali has long been a very popular inexpensive overseas holiday destination for Australians. The surfing beaches of Kuta provide the watery playground by day and the nightclubs of Kuta the playground by night.
Not far away, for the more artsy and adventurous, Ubud provides the peaceful getaway and a chance for holiday makers to have up close encounters with the islands primates in the Monkey Forest. Cheap accommodation sits next to 5 star resorts. Bali is also a melting pot of Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Christianity. Trinkets and clothing are cheap. Beer is plentiful.
Before any traveler leaves Australia, one has only to go to the restroom to get your first taste of how much the Australian government does to try and protect its citizens from themselves. On the back of every door, in every stall, there is a notice explaining the penalties for drug trafficking in most of the Asian countries in the region. For Bali, the penalty is death by firing squad. It is spelled out explicitly.
Upon arrival in Bali, a huge sign is hung in front of travelers before they even reach customs and immigration. In Bali, Drug Trafficking = Death. Both governments are crystal clear on the penalties. Nothing is left to chance or the imagination.
In 2005, 9 Australians, between the ages of 18 and 29, decided to test the system. They lost. At least two have been executed by firing squad. Five are doing life in prison in Bali. Two are doing 20 years.
This book is a succinct version of what occurred. It documents a brief background on each individual involved in the smuggling ring. It then documents the events that led up to the attempt to smuggle 8.2kg of heroin out of Bali and back to Australia where the street value was the equivalent of approximately $5million dollars.
The next portion outlines the arrests of the smugglers and their trials. Trials that occurred both from the Indonesian legal system (which is very unique and described in detail) as well as trial by media. Every move each person made being dissected by the tabloids and news organizations from Australia, Indonesia and abroad.
The final chapters outline what the prisoners day to day experience of being in prison on Bali are like and the effect these events have had on the families of the smugglers. It also discusses the relationships with Indonesians that the smugglers have formed throughout this ordeal. One thing about the Balinese – they are a wonderful, kind and warm people whose faith and belief in kindness comes through even in a bleak story like this one.
This is a quick read but an excellent reporting of the events that resulted in the execution by firing squad of two Australians for drug smuggling. In Bali, death means death for drug trafficking.
Not far away, for the more artsy and adventurous, Ubud provides the peaceful getaway and a chance for holiday makers to have up close encounters with the islands primates in the Monkey Forest. Cheap accommodation sits next to 5 star resorts. Bali is also a melting pot of Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Christianity. Trinkets and clothing are cheap. Beer is plentiful.
Before any traveler leaves Australia, one has only to go to the restroom to get your first taste of how much the Australian government does to try and protect its citizens from themselves. On the back of every door, in every stall, there is a notice explaining the penalties for drug trafficking in most of the Asian countries in the region. For Bali, the penalty is death by firing squad. It is spelled out explicitly.
Upon arrival in Bali, a huge sign is hung in front of travelers before they even reach customs and immigration. In Bali, Drug Trafficking = Death. Both governments are crystal clear on the penalties. Nothing is left to chance or the imagination.
In 2005, 9 Australians, between the ages of 18 and 29, decided to test the system. They lost. At least two have been executed by firing squad. Five are doing life in prison in Bali. Two are doing 20 years.
This book is a succinct version of what occurred. It documents a brief background on each individual involved in the smuggling ring. It then documents the events that led up to the attempt to smuggle 8.2kg of heroin out of Bali and back to Australia where the street value was the equivalent of approximately $5million dollars.
The next portion outlines the arrests of the smugglers and their trials. Trials that occurred both from the Indonesian legal system (which is very unique and described in detail) as well as trial by media. Every move each person made being dissected by the tabloids and news organizations from Australia, Indonesia and abroad.
The final chapters outline what the prisoners day to day experience of being in prison on Bali are like and the effect these events have had on the families of the smugglers. It also discusses the relationships with Indonesians that the smugglers have formed throughout this ordeal. One thing about the Balinese – they are a wonderful, kind and warm people whose faith and belief in kindness comes through even in a bleak story like this one.
This is a quick read but an excellent reporting of the events that resulted in the execution by firing squad of two Australians for drug smuggling. In Bali, death means death for drug trafficking.
September 19, 2013
I borrowed this book from a colleague after seeing in on her desk and finding myself intrigued. I didn't know anything about the Bali 9 before I started the book, so had no pre-conceived ideas.
Overall, I thought this was a well structured book with a lot of information, it covered everything from how the Bali 9 met all the way up to the trials and subsequent appeals. There were photos in the middle of the book which I quite liked also. I think I agree with most reviewers on here when they say that it seemed well researched and clear but the writing was awkward and very repetitive. It was almost like there had been no proofreading done. Some things were repeated only on the next page. I found myself getting annoyed with this and began to skim-read some parts as I already knew what I was being told.
The whole situation in the book is sad. I’m not sure that I believe that the young drug mules were really that naive but the dubious conduct of the Australian Federal Police was interesting. It’s also astonishing that the sentences given to the Bali 9 generally exceeded those given to the Bali terrorists. Moral of the story, if someone offers you a trip to Bali for free, it IS too good to be true.
Overall, I thought this was a well structured book with a lot of information, it covered everything from how the Bali 9 met all the way up to the trials and subsequent appeals. There were photos in the middle of the book which I quite liked also. I think I agree with most reviewers on here when they say that it seemed well researched and clear but the writing was awkward and very repetitive. It was almost like there had been no proofreading done. Some things were repeated only on the next page. I found myself getting annoyed with this and began to skim-read some parts as I already knew what I was being told.
The whole situation in the book is sad. I’m not sure that I believe that the young drug mules were really that naive but the dubious conduct of the Australian Federal Police was interesting. It’s also astonishing that the sentences given to the Bali 9 generally exceeded those given to the Bali terrorists. Moral of the story, if someone offers you a trip to Bali for free, it IS too good to be true.
April 9, 2016
This was an interesting read. It gave some background info on the Bali 9 participants and spoke also about the trial. This book left me feeling sad and angry. Sad that 9 young peoples lives have been ruined by one very silly decision. Sad that two paid with their lives. Angry that they were just that stupid. Angry that they didn't tell the truth from the beginning and cooperate with the courts. Angry that the mules lied about Myu and Andrew, which may have resulted in their death penalty. I've watched a few YouTube clips and the painting i recieved from the book compared to Andrew and Myu seems very different.
March 7, 2016
represents a summary if the Bali Nine and a short profile of each of then. the court case summary was interesting... interesting that they all revoked their earlier statements to the police. makes you want to read on (if you are really into the Bali Nine case).
moral: please just don't do drugs and try and challenge a system when you are in a foreign country. respect their rules as bizarre or inhumane as it may seem.
moral: please just don't do drugs and try and challenge a system when you are in a foreign country. respect their rules as bizarre or inhumane as it may seem.
January 25, 2015
An insight into the Bali nine. Interesting book, made me sad that these people threw their lives away for drugs. Having been to Bali, the sign at the airport warning about drugs is hard to miss and quite scary. Why anyone would play with their lives like this is beyond me... Recommended reading
March 12, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found it really well written, really informative and it doesn't beat around the bush or try to make you feel sorry for them. Would love to find a more recent books, after 2008, as the Corby book says that a few of them are heroin addicts now to block out the pain.
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July 29, 2011Good book, gives a insight and background history of the events surrounding the events of the arrests of the bali 9.
more intresting than I thought it would be.
more intresting than I thought it would be.
September 10, 2013
Sensationalistic and repetitive
June 12, 2013
A good read but I found it spoke mostly about the court case side of things and tended to repeat itself a bit.
March 19, 2015
I wanted to find out more about the Bali 9 - this book helped me with that. However, the book could do with a good edit. Very long winded and drawn-out, with lots of repetition.
May 5, 2015
An interesting read but a bit repetitive in places. 9 lives ruined trying to get rich quick as drug smugglers.
June 3, 2015
Book was a it outdated, athlough was good to find out about there younger years before it all happened.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews