AFP - Rebel East Timor soldiers denied trying to assassinate the country's top

Rebels deny planning to assassinate ETimor leaders

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 16-Apr-2008 16:03 hrs

East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao (C) receives a rifle from rebels during a ceremony in Dili in March. Four rebel soldiers sought over the coordinated attacks against East Timor's leaders surrendered. Rebel East Timor soldiers denied trying to assassinate the country's top leaders in February and insisted they were fired upon first, in interviews with Australian television.

Rebel East Timor soldiers denied trying to assassinate the country's top leaders in February and insisted they were fired upon first, in interviews with Australian television to be aired Wednesday.
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The rebels told SBS television they were not under orders to kill anyone ahead of clashes with government troops guarding President Jose Ramos-Horta's home and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao's motorcade on February 11.
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Ramos-Horta was critically wounded, while rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was fatally shot during the firefight at the president's compound on the outskirts of Dili. Gusmao escaped injury.
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Reinado's right-hand man, Gustao Salsinha, said that when his leader roused the rebels on the night before the attack, he was "drunk, stressed and angry," apparently because an amnesty offer had fallen through.
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He said Reinado told his men they were going from their base in the hills outside Dili to the capital to meet East Timor's leaders but mentioned nothing about an attack.
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"He had no special instructions that we were going to kill anyone or take up arms or anything like that.... (He said) 'I'm going down to Dili to meet the leaders, the prime minister and the president,'" Salsinha told SBS's "Dateline" programme in a phone interview from his base.
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"We couldn't argue with him because of the military code. When the leader speaks, we follow."
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Salsinha was sent to Gusmao's house while another rebel, codenamed "Teboko," was involved in the attack on Ramos-Horta's compound.
.
Teboko told SBS the rebels thought they were going to a pre-arranged meeting and that Reinado greeted Ramos-Horta's guards as he entered the compound, telling them: "It's OK, no problem, we just want to talk to the president."
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Teboko said Ramos-Horta's guard shot first, killing Reinado and another rebel before "we tried to save ourselves and run away."
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Salsinha said he would consider surrendering himself to authorities when Ramos-Horta, 58, returns to East Timor on Thursday after receiving two months of medical treatment in Australia for multiple gunshot wounds.
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"I'm waiting for the president to come down and say one or two words and after that we can come down," he said.
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A spokesman for Ramos-Horta said doctors in Australia had given the Nobel peace laureate the all-clear to return home to Dili on Thursday, where he is expected to receive a hero's welcome.
.
"He is fine, he has recovered very well. The doctors are allowing him to go home," a spokesman for the president told Australian Associated Press.
.
The rebels are mainly former soldiers who deserted in 2006, complaining they were being discriminated against since they hailed from the nation's western districts.
.
Earlier this week, Ramos-Horta revealed in a commentary his suspicions that "external elements" were behind the attack.
.
"An investigation has been ongoing, and there is increasing evidence pointing a finger at external elements that were supporting the renegade Alfredo Reinado," he wrote in the article published on CNN's website.
.
"These are elements interested in destabilising East Timor, plunging it into an endless civil war so it could be declared a failed state." — AFP

Rebel East Timor soldiers denied trying to assassinate the country's top leaders in February and insisted they were fired upon first, in interviews with Australian television to be aired Wednesday.
.
The rebels told SBS television they were not under orders to kill anyone ahead of clashes with government troops guarding President Jose Ramos-Horta's home and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao's motorcade on February 11.
.
Ramos-Horta was critically wounded, while rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was fatally shot during the firefight at the president's compound on the outskirts of Dili. Gusmao escaped injury.
.
Reinado's right-hand man, Gustao Salsinha, said that when his leader roused the rebels on the night before the attack, he was "drunk, stressed and angry," apparently because an amnesty offer had fallen through.
.
He said Reinado told his men they were going from their base in the hills outside Dili to the capital to meet East Timor's leaders but mentioned nothing about an attack.
.
"He had no special instructions that we were going to kill anyone or take up arms or anything like that.... (He said) 'I'm going down to Dili to meet the leaders, the prime minister and the president,'" Salsinha told SBS's "Dateline" programme in a phone interview from his base.
.
"We couldn't argue with him because of the military code. When the leader speaks, we follow."
.
Salsinha was sent to Gusmao's house while another rebel, codenamed "Teboko," was involved in the attack on Ramos-Horta's compound.
.
Teboko told SBS the rebels thought they were going to a pre-arranged meeting and that Reinado greeted Ramos-Horta's guards as he entered the compound, telling them: "It's OK, no problem, we just want to talk to the president."
.
Teboko said Ramos-Horta's guard shot first, killing Reinado and another rebel before "we tried to save ourselves and run away."
.
Salsinha said he would consider surrendering himself to authorities when Ramos-Horta, 58, returns to East Timor on Thursday after receiving two months of medical treatment in Australia for multiple gunshot wounds.
.
"I'm waiting for the president to come down and say one or two words and after that we can come down," he said.
.
A spokesman for Ramos-Horta said doctors in Australia had given the Nobel peace laureate the all-clear to return home to Dili on Thursday, where he is expected to receive a hero's welcome.
.
"He is fine, he has recovered very well. The doctors are allowing him to go home," a spokesman for the president told Australian Associated Press.
.
The rebels are mainly former soldiers who deserted in 2006, complaining they were being discriminated against since they hailed from the nation's western districts.
.
Earlier this week, Ramos-Horta revealed in a commentary his suspicions that "external elements" were behind the attack.
.
"An investigation has been ongoing, and there is increasing evidence pointing a finger at external elements that were supporting the renegade Alfredo Reinado," he wrote in the article published on CNN's website.
.
"These are elements interested in destabilising East Timor, plunging it into an endless civil war so it could be declared a failed state." — AFP
Rebel East Timor soldiers denied trying to assassinate the country's top leaders in February and insisted they were fired upon first, in interviews with Australian television to be aired Wednesday.
.
The rebels told SBS television they were not under orders to kill anyone ahead of clashes with government troops guarding President Jose Ramos-Horta's home and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao's motorcade on February 11.
.
Ramos-Horta was critically wounded, while rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was fatally shot during the firefight at the president's compound on the outskirts of Dili. Gusmao escaped injury.
.
Reinado's right-hand man, Gustao Salsinha, said that when his leader roused the rebels on the night before the attack, he was "drunk, stressed and angry," apparently because an amnesty offer had fallen through.
.
He said Reinado told his men they were going from their base in the hills outside Dili to the capital to meet East Timor's leaders but mentioned nothing about an attack.
.
"He had no special instructions that we were going to kill anyone or take up arms or anything like that.... (He said) 'I'm going down to Dili to meet the leaders, the prime minister and the president,'" Salsinha told SBS's "Dateline" programme in a phone interview from his base.
.
"We couldn't argue with him because of the military code. When the leader speaks, we follow."
.
Salsinha was sent to Gusmao's house while another rebel, codenamed "Teboko," was involved in the attack on Ramos-Horta's compound.
.
Teboko told SBS the rebels thought they were going to a pre-arranged meeting and that Reinado greeted Ramos-Horta's guards as he entered the compound, telling them: "It's OK, no problem, we just want to talk to the president."
.
Teboko said Ramos-Horta's guard shot first, killing Reinado and another rebel before "we tried to save ourselves and run away."
.
Salsinha said he would consider surrendering himself to authorities when Ramos-Horta, 58, returns to East Timor on Thursday after receiving two months of medical treatment in Australia for multiple gunshot wounds.
.
"I'm waiting for the president to come down and say one or two words and after that we can come down," he said.
.
A spokesman for Ramos-Horta said doctors in Australia had given the Nobel peace laureate the all-clear to return home to Dili on Thursday, where he is expected to receive a hero's welcome.
.
"He is fine, he has recovered very well. The doctors are allowing him to go home," a spokesman for the president told Australian Associated Press.
.
The rebels are mainly former soldiers who deserted in 2006, complaining they were being discriminated against since they hailed from the nation's western districts.
.
Earlier this week, Ramos-Horta revealed in a commentary his suspicions that "external elements" were behind the attack.
.
"An investigation has been ongoing, and there is increasing evidence pointing a finger at external elements that were supporting the renegade Alfredo Reinado," he wrote in the article published on CNN's website.
.
"These are elements interested in destabilising East Timor, plunging it into an endless civil war so it could be declared a failed state." — AFP
Rebel East Timor soldiers denied trying to assassinate the country's top leaders in February and insisted they were fired upon first, in interviews with Australian television to be aired Wednesday.
.
The rebels told SBS television they were not under orders to kill anyone ahead of clashes with government troops guarding President Jose Ramos-Horta's home and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao's motorcade on February 11.
.
Ramos-Horta was critically wounded, while rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was fatally shot during the firefight at the president's compound on the outskirts of Dili. Gusmao escaped injury.
.
Reinado's right-hand man, Gustao Salsinha, said that when his leader roused the rebels on the night before the attack, he was "drunk, stressed and angry," apparently because an amnesty offer had fallen through.
.
He said Reinado told his men they were going from their base in the hills outside Dili to the capital to meet East Timor's leaders but mentioned nothing about an attack.
.
"He had no special instructions that we were going to kill anyone or take up arms or anything like that.... (He said) 'I'm going down to Dili to meet the leaders, the prime minister and the president,'" Salsinha told SBS's "Dateline" programme in a phone interview from his base.
.
"We couldn't argue with him because of the military code. When the leader speaks, we follow."
.
Salsinha was sent to Gusmao's house while another rebel, codenamed "Teboko," was involved in the attack on Ramos-Horta's compound.
.
Teboko told SBS the rebels thought they were going to a pre-arranged meeting and that Reinado greeted Ramos-Horta's guards as he entered the compound, telling them: "It's OK, no problem, we just want to talk to the president."
.
Teboko said Ramos-Horta's guard shot first, killing Reinado and another rebel before "we tried to save ourselves and run away."
.
Salsinha said he would consider surrendering himself to authorities when Ramos-Horta, 58, returns to East Timor on Thursday after receiving two months of medical treatment in Australia for multiple gunshot wounds.
.
"I'm waiting for the president to come down and say one or two words and after that we can come down," he said.
.
A spokesman for Ramos-Horta said doctors in Australia had given the Nobel peace laureate the all-clear to return home to Dili on Thursday, where he is expected to receive a hero's welcome.
.
"He is fine, he has recovered very well. The doctors are allowing him to go home," a spokesman for the president told Australian Associated Press.
.
The rebels are mainly former soldiers who deserted in 2006, complaining they were being discriminated against since they hailed from the nation's western districts.
.
Earlier this week, Ramos-Horta revealed in a commentary his suspicions that "external elements" were behind the attack.
.
"An investigation has been ongoing, and there is increasing evidence pointing a finger at external elements that were supporting the renegade Alfredo Reinado," he wrote in the article published on CNN's website.
.
"These are elements interested in destabilising East Timor, plunging it into an endless civil war so it could be declared a failed state." — AFP

Tradução:

AFP – Soldados amotinados de Timor-Leste negam tentativa de assassinar os líderes de topo do país

Amotinados negam plano para assassinar líderes de Timor-Leste

Tempo é GMT + 8 horas
Postado: 16-Abr-2008 16:03 hrs

O Primeiro-Ministro de Timor-Leste Xanana Gusmão (C) recebe uma espingarda de amotinados durante uma cerimónia em Dili em Março. Quatro soldados amotinados procurados pelos ataques coordenados contra líderes de Timor-Leste cercados. Soldados amotinados de Timor-Leste negaram ter tentado assassinar os líderes de topo em Fevereiro e insistiram que foram baleados primeiro, em entrevistas à televisão Australiana.

Soldados amotinados de Timor-Leste negaram ter tentado assassinar os líderes de topo do país em Fevereiro e insistiram que foram baleados primeiro, em entrevistas com a televisão Australiana que vão para o ar na Quarta-feira.
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Os amotinados disseram à televisão SBS que não estavam sob ordens de matar ninguém antes do confronto com tropas do governo que guardavam a casa do Presidente José Ramos-Horta e a caravana do Primeiro-Ministro Xanana Gusmão em 11 de Fevereiro.
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Ramos-Horta ficou ferido com gravidade, enquanto o líder amotinado Alfredo Reinado foi morto a tiro durante o tiroteio no complexo do presidente nos subúrbios de Dili. Gusmão escapou ileso.
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O homem de mão de Reinado, Gastão Salsinha, disse que quando o seu líder chamou os amotinados na noite anterior antes do ataque, estava "bêbado, estressado e zangado," aparentemente porque uma amnistia tinha falhado.
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Disse que Reinado contou aos seus homens que iam desde a sua base nos montes no exterior de Dili até à capital para se encontrarem com os líderes de Timor-Leste mas nada mencionou acerca de um ataque.
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"Não deu nenhuma instrução especial que íamos matar alguém ou pegar em armas, nada desse tipo.... (Ele disse) 'Vou descer a Dili para me encontrar com os líderes, o primeiro-ministro e o presidente,'" disse Salsinha ao programa "Dateline" da SBS numa entrevista telefónica desde a sua base.
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"Não podíamos argumentar com ele por causa do código militar. Quando o líder fala, nós seguimos."
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Salsinha foi enviado para casa de Gusmão enquanto um outro amotinado, com o nome de código "Teboko," esteve envolvido no ataque ao complexo de Ramos-Horta.
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Teboko contou à SBS que os amotinados pensavam que iam para um encontro pré-arranjado e que Reinado saudou os guardas de Ramos-Horta quando entraram no complexo, dizendo-lhes: "Está OK, não há problema, apenas queremos falar com o presidente."
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Teboko disse que o guarda de Ramos-Horta disparou primeiro, matando Reinado e um outro amotinado antes "de tentar safarmos a nós próprios e fugir."
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Salsinha disse que considerará render-se às autoridades quando Ramos-Horta, de 58 anos, regressar a Timor-Leste na Quinta-feira depois de ter recebido tratamento médico durante dois meses na Austrália por múltiplas feridas de balas.
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"Estou à espera que o presidente chegue e diga uma ou duas palavras e depois podemos descer," disse ele.
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Um porta-voz de Ramos-Horta disse que os médicos na Austrália tinham dado alta ao laureado do Nobel da paz para voltar a casa para Dili na Quinta-feira, onde é esperado que tenha uma recepção de herói.
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"Ele está bem, ele recuperou muito bem. Os médicos autorizaram-no a ir para casa," contou um porta-voz do presidente à Australian Associated Press.
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Os amotinados são principalmente antigos soldados que desertaram em 2006, queixando-se que estavam a ser discriminados por serem dos distritos do oeste do país.
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No princípio desta semana, Ramos-Horta revelou num comentário as suas suspeitas de "elementos externos" estarem por detrás do ataque.
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"está em curso uma investigação, e há crescente evidência a apontar um dedo a elementos externos que estavam a suportar o renegado Alfredo Reinado," escreveu num artigo publicado no website da CNN.
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"Esses são elementos interessados em desestabilizar Timor-Leste, mergulhando-o numa guerra civil sem fim para que possa ser declarado um Estado falhado." — AFP