ABRI accuses Ramos Horta of involvement in terrorism
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)