Island-Sity

But in the meantime their plane is still due to leave the Kimberleys town of Derby for Christmas Island sometime today if the weather improves. The Refugee Action Coalition is demanding the Federal Government turn the plane around. The coalition's Ian Rintoul says all the asylum seekers should return to Sydney immediately.

"Christmas Island is the scene of their worst nightmares, they should simply turn it around and bring them back to Villawood," he said. Mr Rintoul says the Immigration Department's handling of the group is a disgrace.

He says they have been treated with no dignity and respect. "Once they were in Sydney, once they buried their loved ones, once they were united with their families, that should have been the end of story," he said.

Jaffar Alghban is Seena's second cousin and was with extended family in Sydney last night as they celebrated Mr Bowen's decision to send the boy back to Sydney. "To be honest with you I didn't expect it to happen this quickly," he said. "We got a little party in our house tonight. We are really happy for Seena."

But Mr Alghban says his cousin should not be sent back to Christmas Island at all. "This guy remembers how his Mum died in front of his own eyes, how his Daddy died in front of his own eyes," he said. "He was seen screaming and this guy survived. So whenever he goes back there, whenever he sees the sea, he remembers, that reminds him of his parents. He shouldn't go back there."

Seena and 10 others, including two more orphans from the boating tragedy, will be brought back to the mainland next week. Mr Bowen says it was always his intention to have the boy moved into the community as quickly as possible.

"He'll be living in the same house as the family that have been looking after him in Christmas Island. They'll be kept together," he said. Mr Bowen says the boy will be housed close to his extended family. "The advice to me has been to keep the group together. Unless that advice changes as to what is in his best interests then they'll be kept together," he said. Mr Bowen has rejected claims that it is a political move to send the detainees back to Christmas Island. He also denies he was advised by the Immigration Department not to send the group back to Christmas Island.

"That is completely untrue. The advice from the deputy secretary all along has been to keep the group of 21 people together," he said. "Of course different options have been provided to me along the way but the advice has been that this has been the right thing to do."