Xanana's wife stabbed in stomach in Dili

Xanana's wife stabbed in stomach in Dili

DILI, East Timor (AP): The Australian wife of East Timorese independence leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao was attacked and stabbed Tuesday by unknown assailants, her husband said.

Kirsty Sword Gusmao, who married Xanana last year, was reported to have been stabbed in the leg with a screwdriver and punched in the face by the attackers.

She was taken to the International Red Cross hospital in Dili for treatment.

"I took her to the hospital myself. As yet I am not clear on the details of the attack," said Xanana.

United Nations civilian police confirmed the incident, which took place in the town of Hera, 10 kilometers (six miles) east of the capital Dili. They were unable to give any further details on the number of assailants or reason for the attack.

Xanana Gusmao, who led East Timor's 24-year struggle against Indonesian military occupation, is likely to become the country's first president.

In recent months, the number of assaults against foreigners living in East Timor has increased.

East Timor is currently home to more than 10,000 foreign residents. Most are humanitarian workers or UN staffers administering the fledgeling nation and preparing for its first elections later this year.

On Saturday, a 47-year-old Australian woman was stabbed in the chest by two men who attempted to rob her after she left a restaurant at night. She is in a satisfactory condition in a UN hospital.

According to the police, the majority of incidents against foreigners, including burglaries and muggings, are committed by petty criminals. There has also been a rise in the level of harassment of foreign women by East Timorese men, they say.