Militia weapon in Timor could be dead NZ soldier's

A weapon similar to the one carried by slain New Zealand soldier Private Leonard Manning has been recovered from three suspected militia by the Indonesian military, says the United Nations peacekeeping force in East Timor.

But Lieutenant-Colonel Tor Aarnseth, of the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (Untaet), said that it had not been confirmed whether the weapon seized belonged to Private Manning.

Untaet was given the information by the Indonesian Army (TNI), which was continuing its investigations, said Lt-Col Aarnseth, a Norwegian.

"We are still waiting for the results from the TNI investigation," he said from Dili.

"We don't know how long that will take. We hope it will be soon."

No further details were given about the incident that led to the capture of the three suspected militia, but Lt-Col Aarnseth said that the TNI had indicated it would share information once the inquiry was over.

Untaet was informed that the incident happened near Luktutus, about 30km from the West Timor side of the border and about 20km north of the coastline.

A fourth man, militia leader Jacobus Bere, who has been linked to the killing of Private Manning at Nanu, north-west of the coastal town of Suai, on July 24, was said to have been injured, but he escaped.

The weapon retrieved was a Belgian Minimi 5.56mm light machinegun. At the time of his death, Private Manning was carrying a Minimi.

A military source said the Minimi was used by soldiers from several Western countries, including the United States, Canada and Australia, but was not thought to be used by the Indonesian military.

Private Manning, aged 24, was the first peacekeeper to be killed in action since deployment of the Untaet force in January.

He was shot as his patrol made contact with a heavily armed group of at least nine militia and his body was found with throat slashed and ears cut off.

The UN Secretary-General's special representative in East Timor, Sergio Vieira de Mello, visited Private Manning's parents during a trip to New Zealand last week.

- NZPA

Herald Online feature: Timor mission

UN Transitional Administration in E Timor