Councilor supports arming militia

DILI, East Timor: A leading member of the East Timor legislative council said he supported the military's decision to arm the local militia, but warned against possible misuse of the weapons.

Gabriel da Costa, the council's deputy chairman, said that if the weapons were misused, Col. Tono Suratman, the chief of the East Timor Military Command, should be held responsible, Antara reported on Thursday.

The decision to arm the militia was taken to beef up security in a number of villages against the possibility of rebel attacks, the news agency said.

On a separate occasion, Col. Tono told Antara that a variety of firearms had been distributed to the militia, known locally as the Perlawanan Rakyat (People's Resistance). (01)