Soldier admits killing six

DENPASAR, Bali: A court-martialled soldier admitted yesterday to killing six unarmed East Timorese rebels but insisted that he was only following orders.

First Class Private Rusdin Maubere, testified yesterday that he received a "signal" from First Lt. Jermias Kasse to "finish" the prisoners, after their colleague, First Class Private Costodio Bareto was seriously injured by a rebel identified as Antoni Alves, Antara reported.

"If anyone from our side gets hurt, finish the rebels," Maubere quoted Kasse as saying.

"I brought the four prisoners who were tied up together to a river. I told them to squat and I shot them. Then I took the other two to the river and I finished them off as well," he said.

Maubere said he used 17 bullets from the total of 100 loaded in his G3 weapon.

Kasse in a separate trial testified that he ordered his subordinates to "finish off" the hostages because the situation at the time was "very emotional" after they saw their fellow soldier injured by a rebel.

"There was no comment (from Maubere) when I said 'finish' them. He immediately took away the hostages and did so," he said.

Both Maubere and Kasse are being tried on charges of disobeying Liquisa military Commander Tris Suryawan's order not to shoot unarmed rebels during the incident which took place earlier this year.(pwn)