Refugees refuse to disembark at Nauru

Hundreds of refugees on an Australian navy ship off the coast of Nauru are refusing to disembark.

They are demanding instead to be taken to Australia.

Their protest comes as an appeal court ruled the Australian Government acted legally in refusing entry to the refugees aboard the Tampa.

A Federal Court hearing overturned by two-to-one an earlier ruling that Australian authorities illegally detained the asylum seekers aboard the Norwegian freight ship.

Around 200 of the 600 refugees are refusing to get off HMAS Manoora, demanding to be taken to Australia instead.

In a situation described as tense, the International Office of Migration (IOM) visited 230 Iraqi and Palestinian asylum seekers on the ship.

Officials say they were shouted down by men who are angry they have been brought to Nauru to have their applications for refugee status processed.

IOM regional representative Mark Getchell said the most vocal members of the group were also intimidating others who want to get off the Manoora at Nauru. About 15 Iraqis have requested they be taken to Nauru as soon as possible, he said.

The Iraqis and Palestinians were picked up by the troop carrier Manoora on September 7, where they joined another 433 asylum seekers turned away by Australia after they were rescued by a Norwegian cargo ship from a sinking Indonesian ferry late last month