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.
After learning that Westerling had been apprehended by British police in Singapore, the RIS Government sent a request to authorities in Singapore through the British Embassy in Jakarta for the extradition of Westerling "on account of crimes committed in Indonesia". With this message, the authorities planned to temporarily detain Westerling at a detention facility on St. John's Island, near the coast of Singapore.