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Hostages will die, says brain behind Fiji coup

"I will die with the hostages," said Ilisoni Ligaiari, the brain behind the coup, the website fijilive.com reported.

Ligairi, the man who rejected the deal between George Speight and Fiji's military on Saturday, was speaking in response to speculation that the military may storm the parliamentary complex in the capital Suva.

The rebels have advised the military against doing anything in the next 24 hours if they do not want to jeopardise further negotiations.

Any action by the military after the ultimatum expires will also jeopardise the safety of the hostages, say the rebels.

This was in response to the military's 24 hour ultimatum to the rebels to sign the Muanikau Accord or lose the chance of being involved in a civilian government.

Ligairi said the hostages will not be released unless the rebels are assured of a presence in the interim civilian government.

He admits that he rejected the deal struck on Saturday between coup leader George Speight and the military because "the deal gave away too much to the government".

Ligairi, the former leader of the crack Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit of the Fiji military, denied that the real motive of the rebellion was to restore privileges lost when the Chaudhry government cracked down on corruption.

He also denied that he was the real power broker behind the coup.

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