Australian authoritiesoffered a reward today for information leading investigators to an outback gunman presumed to have murdered a British tourist.
The government of the Northern Territory, where Mr Peter Falconio (28) is feared to have been murdered in a remote desert region 12days ago, offered a reward of 250,000 Australian dollars.
The wanted man is believed to have shot Mr Falconio beforeattempting to kidnap the missing man's girlfriend, British travel agentMs Joanne Lees (27). She was bound and gagged before being forced into the gunman'sfour-wheel-drive vehicle.
She only escaped after climbing out of the vehicle and hiding inscrub for six hours. Ms Lees described her attacker as a thin-facedman with long dark hair and a droopy moustache, who drove adistinctive white four-wheel drive pickup with a blue heeler dog in the back.
Northern Territory police spokesman Mr Mike Reed saidthe reward was more than double the previous record offered by theregional government.
At a press conference yesterday, Ms Lees appealed to her attacker to reveal Mr Falconio's fate.
"If I could say one thing to this man who did this, I would askhim to let police know where Pete is," Ms Lees said. "I've asked police to tell me only positive news and remainhopeful of Pete being found.
"I am feeling positive and strong and believe it's only a matterof time now for the man responsible for what's happened to Pete andmyself to be caught. I am confident that Pete will be found."
AFP