Watch video: East Timor presidential shootingKEY POINTS:
At this stage there is no need for New Zealand to send more troops to East Timor, Defence Minister Phil Goff said today.
Mr Goff said there had been calm in Dili following the twin assassination attempts on East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao.
A platoon of 20 to 35 New Zealand troops is on standby to join the platoon already stationed in the capital, Dili.
Mr Goff said he had been advised by New Zealand's senior officer in East Timor, Colonel Sean Trengrove, that the security situation did not currently warrant more New Zealand soldiers being deployed.
Australia has around 1000 troops in East Timor and would have another 150 soldiers plus police on the ground today due to the attacks.
"I am told that is more to reassure the public than because of the situation on the ground."
Aside from a night time curfew, it had been "business as usual" in Dili.
Mr Goff said he had been informed that the president had been returning to his home when the assassins attacked.
There had been firing when he entered the house and also after he tried to leave it.
Fugitive rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was "definitely confirmed dead" at the scene.
Most people have blamed Major Reinado for the two attacks, but his supporters say he was an innocent victim caught up in the ambush.
Mr Goff said he would await the United Nations police investigation.
"I think it is important to keep an open mind as to what happened until all the facts are available," Mr Goff said.
"Given the fact that Prime Minister Gusmao was attacked, we now understand about 40 minute later and again by people associated with Major Reinado, on the surface it appears Major Reinado was responsible for these events."
Those who attacked the prime minister had been recognised as associates of the rebel major.
The two groups of assassins had fled and no one was captured.
Mr Ramos-Horta is now in a Darwin hospital.
He is in an induced coma, in a serious but stable condition after being shot twice.
One bullet was removed from the president in Dili and surgeons in Darwin were planning to remove another bullet or bullet fragments.
No vital organs had been seriously damaged.
Mr Goff said it was hoped he would make a full recovery.
Mr Gusmao's convoy was ambushed as he travelled to work but the prime minister was either uninjured or only slightly injured.
There was still potential for further violence from supporters of Major Reinado or for other factions in the troubled nation to exploit the situation.
Reports that New Zealand soldiers had delayed assisting the injured president were "absolute nonsense", Mr Goff said.
Mr Ramos-Horta had already been driven from the scene before New Zealand troops arrived.
"The suggestion that New Zealand troops were sitting around doing nothing clearly isn't true," Mr Goff said.
Although the New Zealanders were the first troops at the scene, United Nations police had arrived earlier.
"I understand that when they arrived there may have been reluctance on the part of the bodyguards to allow them access to President Ramos-Horta. However, that is second hand (information)."
- NZPA
