After hearing that Westerling had been arrested by the British Police in Singapore, the RIS Government submitted a request to the authorities in Singapore via the British Embassy in Jakarta concerning the extradition of Westerling "on the grounds of crimes perpetrated by him in Indonesia". With this communiqué, the authorities had intended to momentarily hold Westerling in a detention camp on St. John's Island, off the coast of Singapore.
Following news that Westerling had been arrested by British police in Singapore, the RIS Government communicated with authorities in Singapore via the British Embassy in Jakarta for his extradition "for crimes committed in Indonesia". The authorities intended to temporarily detain Westerling at a detention camp on St. John's Island, which is situated off the coast of Singapore.