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.