Three rioters tried in Dili<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor: Three youths, aged between 16 and 19, went
\non trial on Wednesday for their involvement in the September
\nrioting which extensively damaged public facilities.<\/p>\n
Armindo da Costa, Jose da Costa and Kristovao Paicao pleaded
\nguilty to charges of assault and causing damage to public
\nfacilities.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Bambang Sutoyo said Armindo and his schoolmates
\nthrew stones at police officers, a number of kiosks and a mosque
\nat Komoro Market, West Dili.<\/p>\n
Bambang said several police officers were injured in the
\nattack.<\/p>\n
Armindo, a Roman Catholic, said his involvement with the riot
\nwas spontaneous. He said he became outraged over a statement by a
\nMoslem prison warden denigrating Catholicism.<\/p>\n
\"Nobody told us to commit violence,\" Armindo said. \"Once we
\nheard of someone desecrating our religion, we all left the
\nclassroom to riot,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In a separate trial of cases from the same riot, the Dili
\nDistrict Court tried East Timor University student Gil Fernado da
\nCosta for allegedly beating a police officer, and 18-year-old
\nMarselino Nunes for allegedly threatening to kill a bus driver.<\/p>\n
Both youths also pleaded guilty. The court session was
\nadjourned until Monday for further hearings. (yac\/swe)<\/p>",
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