East Timor court delays treason trial of former interior minister until 2007

The Associated Press
Published: November 29, 2006

DILI, East Timor: An East Timor judge delayed by more than a month the trial of the former interior minister on gunrunning and treason charges when a co-defendant failed to show up in court Thursday.

Rogerio Lobato and three other suspects were to face charges of arming a political hit squad with state weapons as the tiny nation descended into violence earlier this year.

Presiding Judge Ivo Rosa postponed the start of trial until Jan. 9. after co-defendant Marcos "Labadae" Piedade didn't show up.

Around 150 Lobato supporters rallied outside the courthouse during the hearing of less than 30 minutes, waiving East Timor flags and holding banners.

The defense will call about 35 witnesses from East Timor, Australia, the United States, Portugal and Macau, he said.

Lobato has claimed he was acting on the orders of then-Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, who resigned in June after street battles in the capital killed 37 people and sent more than 155,000 others fleeing their homes.

Each man could face a maximum 47-year prison sentence if convicted of treason and distributing firearms to civilians.

East Timor was plunged into crisis after Alkatiri dismissed a third of the army, sparking clashes between rival security force factions in the capital Dili in April and May that later spilled into gang warfare, looting and arson attacks.

Calm largely returned with the arrival of more than 2,500 foreign peacekeepers and the installation of a new government, but there have been isolated cases of street violence in recent months.

Alkatiri has been questioned several times about the hit squad allegations — charges he vehemently denies.

It is unclear if he will run in general elections scheduled for May 7.
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