Indonesia prepares to execute two Australians despite outcry

Two Australian drug smugglers were taken on Wednesday to an Indonesian island where they will be executed despite frantic diplomatic efforts to save them, as Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Australia was "revolted" by their looming deaths.

The planned executions of Myuran Sukumaran, 33, and Andrew Chan, 31, have ratcheted up diplomatic tension between Australia and Indonesia following repeated pleas for mercy on their behalf. They are among a group of up to 11 convicts, most of them foreigners.

The preparations at the execution site at Nusakambangan Island's maximum-security prison facilities have been completed, said Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo. Authorities have not given a date for the executions, although they appear imminent.

Besides the two Australians, a Nigerian national born in Spain and a Filipino woman were also to be transferred to the island prison off Indonesia's main island of Java. In addition, two other Nigerians and four men from Brazil, France, Ghana and Indonesia are also scheduled to be executed. It was not immediately known how many have been transferred to the island.

The Indonesian government last week recalled its newly designated ambassador to Brazil, Toto Riyanto, to protest the postponement of the approval of his credentials by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff amid tensions over the imminent execution of its citizen, Rodrigo Gularte, 42.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has called on Indonesia to "reciprocate" for Australia's $1 billion aid package after the 2004 tsunami by sparing his two countrymen.

"Right now millions of Australians are feeling sick in their guts at the prospect of execution for these two," Abbott told reporters.

"I've been saying again and again that this is contrary to Indonesia's national interest and it is contrary to Indonesia's best values," he added.

Abbott said he understood why many Australians were threatening to never visit Indonesia, a near neighbor.

"I can very much understand their position and I think there are millions of Australians who feel quite angry at this time at what's happening," he said.

But Abbott said the bilateral relationship must survive regardless of what happened to the pair.

"Let's remember that a good relationship with Indonesia is very important to this country and whatever might happen in the next few days, the relationship with Indonesia must endure and, over time, it must grow stronger," he said.

Indonesia executed six drug convicts including foreigners in January. More than 130 people are on death row, including 57 drug convicts.

Wire services