Team set to present E. Timor findings

JAKARTA (JP): A special team from the Attorney General's Office will hand over its preliminary report on last year's mayhem in East Timor to Attorney General Marzuki Darusman on Monday.

"The team is going to hand over its assessment on KPP HAM's report to the attorney general on Monday," Marzuki told The Jakarta Post, referring to the government-sanctioned Commission of Inquiry into Human Rights Violations in East Timor.

When pressed on whether the Attorney General's Office would at the same time announce suspects in the East Timor violence, Marzuki said: "No, the team is only going to recommend what further steps should be taken."

He said the steps might include the questioning of a number of people who were allegedly involved in the violence.

KPP HAM on Jan. 31 recommended the Attorney General's Office launch an investigation into former Indonesian Military chief Gen. Wiranto and 32 military and civilian officials for alleged involvement in the violence following a self-determination ballot in the former Indonesian province.

The Attorney General's Office then in mid-February established a 35-member team, which was led by Deputy Attorney General for Intelligence Yusuf Kertanegara and Deputy Attorney General for General Crimes A. Rahman, to examine the findings of the inquiry.

Marzuki announced at that time that trials of those accused of involvement in the campaign of terror and destruction in East Timor would start in three months and that "within three to four weeks, there will be a number of people who will be named as suspects".

Jakarta has rejected the possibility of an international tribunal to try those suspected of involvement in the East Timor violence, arguing that it could investigate and bring to justice those responsible.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said the UN Security Council will not set up an international tribunal if Indonesia can prove its ability to punish those responsible.(01/byg)