Our troops no Dili killers: PM

news.com.au
October 30, 2006 12:00am

PRIME Minister John Howard has rubbished claims Australian troops were responsible for the deaths of two men in East Timor.

And he says attacks on our soldiers highlight the need for them to remain in the country until the job is done.

Dili's main newspaper Suara Timor-Leste has run a front-page story saying two men whose bodies were found on Friday were killed by Australian forces.

Brigadier Mal Rerden, head of our 1000-strong deployment to East Timor, and the Chief of Defence, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, both said the report was false.

And yesterday Mr Howard weighed in to the debate, saying: "I do not accept (the claims)."

He said he had every confidence in our troops and police. "And their presence is very warmly supported by the local community," he added.

The story was apparently based on unfounded rumours circulating the strife-torn capital, claims which are stirring anti-Australian sentiment among rock-throwing gangs.

ACM Houston said the Australian-led task force was completely neutral - and professional.

"I refute entirely any allegation our people were involved in any way in the deaths of two Timorese nationals on Friday," he said.

The task force was deployed after a plea by the East Timorese Government in May and remains at its request.

Brig. Rerden said the newspaper had published baseless rumours.

"I think the stories are being manipulated by some elements and those groups ... their motivations I'm not certain of," he said.

"But clearly they don't want to have a professional, impartial security force in here - probably because we're stopping them doing ... bad things."

Mr Howard said attacks on forces showed our presence was vital.

"Our troops wouldn't be there if there weren't some people that needed, in an appropriate way, to be dealt with," he said.

"And what this underlines is the importance of our force staying there until our job is finished."

Clashes between rival gangs in Dili have left at least eight people dead and more than 50 wounded since last weekend.

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