ABRI accuses Ramos Horta of involvement in terrorism

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. A. Wahab Mokodongan accused yesterday East Timor separatist leader and Nobel laureate Ramos Horta of being involved in recent terrorist activities in the country.

Speaking to journalists at the Armed Forces headquarters in Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Wahab said Horta was indirectly involved through his association with the terrorist group engaged in these activities.

Wahab was referring to the explosion of a homemade bomb in the Central Java santri town of Demak on Sept. 13.

"The bomb explosion in Demak was by members of terrorist group Brigada Nagra, a special military unit of the Associacio Socialista de Timor (AST), a group in the East Timor separatist movement," he explained.

Wahab claimed that since 1994 Horta had intensive contact with AST secretary-general Avelino Maria Coelho Da Silva, alias Shalar Kossi, over possible subversive activities in East Timor and other regions.

He said evidence linking Horta was acquired through testimony from two arrested AST members.

The man-made bomb exploded at a house in Plamongan Indah housing complex in Demak, occupied by three Timorese -- Nuno Vicente Pereira Sadanha, 35, Joao Bosco Carceres, 19 and Lurindo Albino da Costa, 22.

It has been suggested that the explosion was accidental.

Carceres was the only one in the house at the time and fled the scene. His whereabouts along with da Costa's is unknown.

Sadanha and Kossi are thought to be among the six East Timorese seeking asylum to Portugal at the Austrian Embassy here since Sept. 19.

Wahab said ABRI had asked the Austrian Embassy to hand them over for questioning.

Elaborating further on the alleged terrorist activities, Wahab said: "Shalar Kossi established a special military unit for terrorism activities, known as Brigada Nagra, on May 25 this year. The group has been involved in terrorism, sabotage and murder in Indonesian regions, aimed at creating instability in the country."

According to Wahab, Shalar Kossi rented a house at Jl. Mahesa Timur II No. 438, Semarang, Central Java, for the group's activities.

"Shalar Kossi hired an Australian instructor, identified only as Geofrey, in May this year to train the East Timorese to make bombs," he said.

The instructor then held a one-month training session before the group moved to Demak in July.

"Upon Shalar Kossi's order, activist Constancio Costa Dos Santos (Aquito) sailed to Dili on Sept. 6, carrying 20 bombs, 44 M-16 bullets, 21 bullets for Colt hand guns, one bullet for FN hand gun and a number of confidential documents," Wahab said.

Aquito, and fellow East Timorese Paulo Jorge Perira, were arrested in Dili on Sept. 15 carrying the explosives and ammunition.

The two men's testimony provided evidence that linked Horta to terrorist activities.

Separately, Horta and 34 other Timorese participants including Dili Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, began four-day talks in Krumbach Palace, Austria, Monday.

The talks between pro- and anti-integration East Timorese aim to reconcile differences and create a better atmosphere for a solution to the East Timor issue.

The United Nations sponsored talks, however, will not touch on a political solution which remains the prerogative of the Indonesian and Portuguese governments. (imn)