Australian wildfire suspect named

[February 16, 2009]  MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- The only person so far accused of lighting one of Australia's deadly wildfires was named publicly Monday as officials urged a nation outraged by the alleged arson to let justice take its course.

Brendan Sokaluk, a 39-year-old who reportedly once served as a volunteer fighter, has been kept at a secret location by police since his arrest last week in connection to blazes that swept Victoria state because of fears for his safety.

The confirmed death toll from the Feb. 7 disaster crept to 189, and would rise further, police said.

Brendan Sokaluk's case went before a court packed with media and onlookers Monday, but he chose to stay in police protective custody rather than attend.

He was detained Friday and charged with one count of arson causing death and one of lighting a blaze now known as the Churchill fire. He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years on the first charge, and 15 years on the second. He was also charged with possessing child pornography, which carries a 5-year maximum sentence.

Extremely hot, dry and windy conditions fanned dozens of fires into raging infernos that reduced entire towns to ashes, destroying more than 1,800 homes and displacing 7,500 people.

Raising the official death tally for the first time in four days, police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said the process of confirming victims had slowed because some remains were too damaged to identify them as human.

Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said it was possible some victims would never be identified because "perhaps you don't find very much of that person."

Detailing a previously announced, high-level inquiry in to the disaster, Victorian Premier John Brumby said it would have the broadest terms possible, examining all aspects of the fires' causes and the preparedness of emergency services to respond. An initial report is due Aug. 17.

Sokaluk is alleged to have "intentionally and without lawful excuse" set fire to a timber plantation in southeastern Victoria state on Feb. 7 and "did thereby commit arson causing the death of another person," according to a police document presented to the Melbourne Magistrates' Court.

The document did not name or give a number to the victims, but officials have said previously that up to 21 people died in the blaze.

Defense lawyer Helen Spowart argued that Sokaluk's name should stay a secret because of an unusual level of public anger and disgust over the case. Prosecutor Chris Beale agreed there were strong community feelings against the suspect.

Magistrate John Klestadt agreed to ban publication of photographs of Sokaluk or his address, but not his name.

"Those suspected of vigilantism would not be prevented from behaving in an abhorrent way simply by suppressing his name," Klestadt said.

Spowart did not enter a plea on Sokaluk's behalf. He was ordered to remain in custody until another hearing May 26.

In the fire zone, survivors were furious.

"He's a dead man, I hope," Anthony Sexton told Nine Network television, standing amid the ruins of his razed home. "There's 21 people dead just because he wanted to see flames."

Earlier Monday, Nixon said security around Sokaluk would be high, and urged people not to take justice into their own hands.

"We hope that we don't have to deal with a gang of people who are angry and concerned about this arrest -- we know people are," Nixon said.

Officials have said previously that the Churchill fire killed at least 21 people, though officials cited only 11 deaths in court. They did not immediately explain the discrepancy, but one reason could be that the charges are connected to just part of the fire.

Experts say deadly arson in wildfire cases is difficult to prove, partly because different wildfires often join one another, making it tough to link a fire set by an arsonist with the blaze that eventually kills people. The Churchill fire was one such combination of blazes.

Police suspect arson in at least two other fires, but have ruled out foul play in the rest.

On a page appearing to belong to Sokaluk on the social networking Web site MySpace, he describes himself as a lovelorn single man who's hoping to find a young wife. He writes that his hero is "mother earth with out her we all would be dead." He lists his occupation as "semi-retired" and describes himself as a "young happy male who wants to meet a young loven female to marrid."

He says he's a fan of country music and the television shows "CSI" and "Cops." Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was listed as one of Sokaluk's friends, but soon after the suspect's name became public, Rudd disappeared from the friend list.

Nine Network television reported Sokaluk was a former volunteer firefighter.

A spokeswoman for the Victorian Country Fire Authority said the suspect charged in the Churchill fire may have been a volunteer 20 years ago. She spoke on condition of anonymity, citing policy, and declined to elaborate.

A Facebook group entitled "Brendan Sokaluk, the Victorian Bushfires Arsonist, must burn in hell" had already attracted more than 2,500 members by Monday morning.

Rudd announced a national day of mourning for fire victims on Sunday.

[Associated Press; By TANALEE SMITH]

Associated Press writer Kristen Gelineau contributed to this report from Sydney.

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