February 20, 2002, Wednesday
Militia leader refuses to return for Timor trial
SOURCE: AAP
JAKARTA: Militia leader Eurico Guterres said yesterday that he would
answer
charges of crimes against humanity in Indonesia but not in his native
East
Timor for his role in anti-independence activities in 1999.
Indonesia would not respond to any extradition request issued for the
arrest of Guterres and 16 other suspects, despite having agreed to do
so
with East Timor two years ago.
"We currently do not have a written understanding that specifically
states
that Indonesia will allow the extradition of the suspects (to East Timor)
," foreign ministry spokesman Wahid Supriyadi said.
Guterres was yesterday indicted by international prosecutors in East
Timor
on five counts of crimes against humanity before the province voted for
independence in August 1999.
They said he ordered his Aitarak gang members to shoot pro-independence
activists at a rally.
Guterres was also accused of leading an attack on the home of separatist
leader Manuel Carrascalao in April 1999 in which 11 refugees and
Carrascalao's son were killed.