Military

DATE=10/23/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=GUTERRES TO BE FREED (L)

NUMBER=2-268308

BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN

DATELINE=JAKARTA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: An Indonesian court has ruled that East Timorese militia leader Eurico Guterres should be released from jail on the grounds that his arrest earlier this month was illegal. But as Patricia Nunan reports from Jakarta, authorities say they will review the case before they decide if Mr. Guterres goes free.

TEXT: Indonesia's Minister for Political and Security Affairs Bambang Yudyhono confirms the South Jakarta District Court ordered the release of Eurico Guterres. But, he says, police officials are pushing for the militia leader to remain behind bars.

/// YUDYHONO ///

The police chief does not release yet Eurico Guterres. He is now communicating with the court, by using an appeal that there is reason behind the arrest of Eurico Guterres.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Guterres is the leader of the "Aitarak" or "Thorn" militia - one of the handful of anti-independence militia groups that devastated East Timor after its vote to separate from Indonesia last year. The group remains active in the Indonesian province of West Timor, where more than 100-thousand East Timorese refugees are sheltered.

The pony-tailed 27-year-old was arrested earlier this month on charges that he ordered his supporters not to comply with Indonesian authorities conducting a weapons sweep in West Timor. He faces six-years in prison if found guilty.

But Mr. Guterres' defense attorneys say police failed to produce a warrant when they arrested him at a Jakarta hotel.

/// BEGIN OPT ///

The arrest of Mr. Guterres came amid renewed concern over the situation in West Timor.

In September, three U-N humanitarian workers were murdered by militia groups in the border town of Atambua. The killings sparked international condemnation and demands for Indonesian authorities to crack down on the militias.

So far, international aid organizations have not returned to West Timor, citing security concerns. But aid-workers say that leaves the refugees without assistance and under complete control of the militia groups.

/// END OPT ///

Mr. Guterres is also one of 23 official suspects in the on-going investigation by Indonesia's attorney general's office into the wave of killings in East Timor. Questioning of suspects has begun, but so far no arrests linked to that investigation have been made. (SIGNED)

NEB/HK/PN/JO/RAE