Fed: Asylum seekers may face jail time if guilty of fires

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Fed: Asylum seekers may face jail time if guilty of fires

Attorney General DARYL WILLIAMS has warned of jail sentences for anyone found guiltyof lighting the fires that caused more than $2 million damage to the Baxter detentioncentre.

Mr WILLIAMS says the federal police are still investigating the spate of deliberatelylit fires at the three-month-old facility in South Australia over the weekend.

He's told ABC radio that if the police can identify those responsible, they will be prosecuted.

He says that apart from a jail term, any detainee convicted of starting a fire in adetention centre will have a black mark against them when it comes to their immigrationassessment.

Mr WILLIAMS says it's likely the damaged compound will be rebuilt.

(Eds: Replacing DETENTION FIRE AG exCanberra sent in error at 12.11pm AEDT)

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KEYWORD: DETENTION FIRE AG (CANBERRA)