Academic questions death of NZ soldier in Timor

By GREG ANSLEY

The Army has denied claims by a defence academic that it has covered up aspects of the death of Private Leonard Manning in East Timor.

Joint Force Commander Brigadier Jerry Mateparae has also accused Waikato University's director of defence and strategic studies, Dr Ron Smith, of attacking the Army without adequate facts.

Dr Smith raised concerns over the official version of the firefight between Private Manning's section and pro-Indonesia militia last year in an article in the NZ International Review.

In it, he said the Army's claim that nothing could have prevented Private Manning's death was "patently false" and suggested an independent review of the action.

Dr Smith questioned the decision to send a small section against a larger, well-equipped enemy, delays in contact with headquarters at Suai, a lack of helicopter support and the part obsolete radio equipment may have played.

He told the Herald yesterday that defence officials had repeatedly promised but had not provided further details of the action.

"It was a kind of 'the cheque's in the mail' response," he said.

The Army's position that nothing could have prevented Private Manning's death displayed "extraordinary complacency" and demonstrated that New Zealand was still trying to discharge its defence obligations on the cheap.

But Brigadier Mateparae said Dr Smith had drawn conclusions out of erroneous suppositions and had failed to check his facts.

He had not been approached by Dr Smith nor, as far as he was aware, had Dr Smith spoken to his public relations staff.

Brigadier Mateparae said the size of patrols in East Timor were based on an assessment of the threat facing them, and that Private Manning's patrol had been conducted with up to 30 other members of his platoon in close proximity.

There were no problems with communications during the action.

Helicopters had been put into the air as soon as possible but could not land because of thick bush.

"There was no complacency," he said.

Brigadier Mateparae said the equipment used in East Timor was old but was adequate for the threat and was not hindering the Army's operations.