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.