Speight says soldiers beat him

2:00 PM

Fiji coup leader George Speight claims he and his supporters have been severely beaten by the military.

Speight's claims were published in today's Daily Post newspaper in Fiji, with the rebel saying he thought he would die.

He is being held in custody, and is expected to appear in the Fiji Magistrates Court tomorrow facing charges including firearms offences and threatening to kill.

He is also being investigated for treason, which carries a death penalty.

Meanwhile, about 100 additional troops have been sent to the island of Vanua Levu in response to recent attacks on Fiji Indians by ethnic Fijian nationalists.

A Fijian rebel died after being shot by troops last night in Dreketi, but an official who said earlier that a sugar cane worker had also died in a separate incident, now says he was mistaken, and that the labourer was injured by rebels.

The rebel was killed after he fired at soldiers with a 22-calibre rifle.

A spokesman for the military, Major Howard Politini, says the soldiers returned fire, injuring the man who died later.

The cane worker remains in a stable condition in Labasa hospital. Soldiers responding to the incident captured five rebels who are now among 37 people being detained at the Sukanaivalu Barracks in Labasa.

- HERALD ONLINE STAFF and AGENCIES