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East Timor seeks arrests over assassination attempts

Prosecutors in East Timor prepared arrest warrants yesterday for 18 rebel soldiers allegedly involved in assassination attempts against the president and prime minister, while foreign troops boosted security amid fears of more unrest.

Doctors in Australia said President Jose Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was stable and recovering well from gunshot wounds sustained in Monday's attacks, but remained in ``extremely serious'' condition.

Attorney General Longuinhos Monterio said prosecutors would probably issue arrest warrants yesterday for 18 suspects in the attacks. He declined to give their names. No arrests have been made.

Monterio also said the body of slain rebel leader Alfredo Reinado -- who was killed by Ramos-Horta's guards during the attempt on the president's life -- would be released to family members for burial.

Analysts said Reinado's supporters might stage violent demonstrations, but the country has so far been calm. Australian soldiers searched cars for weapons at checkpoints yesterday and armored UN vehicles guarded top politicians.

Hundreds of mourners gathered at Reinado's family home to await his body.

"I accept his death with a heavy heart," said Reinado's uncle, Victor Alves, as he waited for the body to arrive. "I appeal to all the militants to accept his death and be peaceful."

Gusmao said Reinado would be buried today in a Dili cemetery.

Reinado and his followers were blamed in part for a spasm of unrest in 2006 after they deserted the army, triggering clashes that killed 37 people and led to the collapse of the tiny nation's first post-independence government.

He had been charged with murder over the events, but enjoyed folk hero status among some disenchanted youth and people from the west of the country who complain that the central government discriminates against them.

East Timor's army commander, Taur Matan Ruak, said he wanted to know how foreign forces stationed in the country since the 2006 unrest had failed in their primary task of providing security.

"How is it possible that cars transporting armed people have entered the city ... without having been detected?" he asked reporters.

But Finn Reske-Nielsen, the UN deputy head for East Timor, said Ramos-Horta wanted his own security "to be provided by national authorities, and therefore there was no UN police protection" during Monday's attack.
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