Soldier's gun to be handed over

Soldier's gun to be handed over

WELLINGTON (AFP): The Indonesian Military is to ceremoniously
hand over a New Zealand soldier's light machine gun stolen when
he was murdered by a militia group in East Timor four months ago.

The weapon, found by the Indonesian Military (TNI) in a cache
of militia arms on the West Timor side of the border, will be
returned on Wednesday to the New Zealand contingent serving with
the United Nations peacekeeping force in East Timor.

New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Phil Goff said the
move was encouraging evidence that Indonesian authorities were
making an effort to fulfill promises to conduct a thorough
investigation, along with the UN, into the murder of the soldier,
Pvt. Leonard Manning.

"TNI recently captured a militia member alleged to have killed
Private Manning but, unfortunately, he has since escaped," said
Goff.