Indonesia postpones moving of 2 Aussies, 5 other foreigners to prison island for execution

FILE - This combination of two file photos from Jan. 24, 2006, left, and Jan. 26, 2006 shows Australian drug traffickers Myuran Sukumaran, left, and Andrew Chan during their trial in Bali, Indonesia. Indonesia said on Monday, Feb. 16, 2015 it postponed the transfer of eight convicted drug smugglers, including seven foreigners, to a prison island for execution due to technical problems. The eight are facing execution despite international appeals for clemency. Among them are Chan and Sukumaran, the ringleaders of a group of nine Australians arrested in 2005 for attempting to smuggle heroin to Australia from the Indonesian resort island of Bali. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati, File) (The Associated Press)

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi speaks during a press conference on President Joko Widodo's decision to reject clemency requests by foreign drug convicts, in Jakarta, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015. Indonesia postponed the transfer of eight convicted drug smugglers, including seven foreigners, to a prison island for execution due to technical problems and to allow the two Australians, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, among them to spend more time with their families, an official said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) (The Associated Press)

Indonesia says it has postponed the transfer of eight convicted drug smugglers, including seven foreigners, to a prison island for execution due to technical problems.

The eight are facing execution despite international appeals for clemency. Among them are Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, the ringleaders of a group of nine Australians arrested in 2005 for attempting to smuggle heroin to Australia from the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

Authorities had said Monday all of the inmates would be transferred this week to Nusa Kambangan prison off the main island of Java.

But Attorney General's Office spokesman Tony Spontana said Tuesday executors surveying the island found it wasn't ready to handle the executions. He said the inmates would be transferred when the location is ready, but didn't give a time frame.