Xanana's presence sought

Xanana's presence sought

JAKARTA (JP): Constansio Costa Dos Santos alias Akuita, a 21-
year-old man accused of making bombs for rebellion purposes, and
Paul George Rodregues Pereira demanded yesterday that the Dili
District Court present jailed East Timorese separatist leader
Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao in their trial.

Antara said the two defendants cited Xanana as being
responsible for the bomb making activities that the authorities
uncovered in Demak, Central Java, last September.

"I am willing to be tried if the supreme commander... Xanana
Gusmao is present during every session," Akuita told the panel of
judges presided over by I Made Nandu in Dili, East Timor
yesterday.

"Xanana has to be responsible... we are just members carrying
out his orders," said Akuita.

Brushing aside accusations of terrorism, he said the
separatist group had been trying to free East Timor from
Indonesia.

"East Timor is still at war, so any means is justified in
order for us to achieve the political aspirations of East
Timorese people," he said.

Police questioned Xanana in November over alleged links with
the bomb making operation discovered last September in Demak,
Central Java.

Xanana is currently serving a reduced 20-year jail sentence in
Cipinang Prison. He was arrested in Dili, East Timor, in 1992,
after heading the Fretilin separatist movement in its armed
campaign for a separate state.

The Armed Forces (ABRI) recently linked Xanana with an East
Timorese group that it said had planned to blow up civilian
targets with homemade bombs in their separatist movement against
the government.

Xanana had denied the accusations of terrorism, saying there
was never any intention to use the bombs on civilian targets.

"The bombs were made to strengthen our resistance toward the
Armed Forces and I will take full responsibility for their
activities," Xanana said.

Implicated in the case are seven East Timorese who were
arrested recently. (swe)