Gangster Wins Dili Backing To Build

Sydney Morning Herald - Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Lindsay Murdoch in Darwin

AN OFFER by a notorious Jakarta gangster to develop the siteof a refugee camp in Dili has been accepted by the East TimorGovernment.

The East Timorese-born man, Hercules Rozario Marcal, has closelinks to Soeharto-era generals in Indonesia, including one chargedby the United Nations with orchestrating the destruction of EastTimor after the 1999 independence ballot.

The Timor Post has confirmed that Hercules has been given thego-ahead to build a mini-mart and swimming pool on the site oppositeDili's main wharf.

Investigators have established that Hercules had contact with,and may have met, the rebel leader Alfredo Reinado days beforehe led the February 11 attacks on the President, Jose Ramos Horta,and the Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmao.

Reinado's mobile telephone had a listing for "Hercul".

Two rebels involved in the attacks were arrested at Hercules'sJakarta residence in April.

Hercules has denied any involvement in the attacks.

He gained notoriety in Jakarta in the 1990s running protectionrackets.

His gang also served as enforcers for the Soeharto regime, intimidatingdissidents and East Timorese independence activists. His militarypatrons were reputed to include the then general Parbowo Subianto,Soeharto's son-in-law.

At one stage he lived in the house of Major-General Zacky AnwarMakarim, indicted by a UN war crimes tribunal in 2003 for crimesagainst humanity.

Hercules told East Timorese journalists in January he was lookingat investing in hotels and real
estate in East Timor.