A bit of an update. So far we have heard that JRH has been shot twice, with at least one round entering his abdomen. Apparently he underwent surgery here in Dili at the ISF hospital at the heliport. He will be/is being flown to Darwin for more treatment.
Re the attack on his house. As speculated earlier, it seems that the attack was carried out during JRH's normal morning walk/run. A friend who lives about 300 metres away reported a fire-fight occuring at about 0650 this morning. From various wires/radio sources it appears that two vehicles drove by and then opened fire. Radio Timor Leste is reporting that Alfredo Reinado was indeed killed in the shootout but rather than being an attacker he was in fact a guest at JRH's house and had been there for upto a week and ran out of the house during the attack to try and stop it and was killed in the crossfire. A contact at Dili hospital confirms two dead were brought to the hospital, neither of whom whas Alfredo. The Deputy PM is saying that three people were killed in the attack so maybe Alfredo was among them and not taken to Dili hospital. We are also hearing about an attack on a convoy containing Prime Minister Gusmao roughly 30 minutes after the attack on JRH.
I have had a bit of a trawl around Dili in the past few hours and here are some observations:
Conspicuous by their absence: UN police cars outside Castaways and Dili Beach Hotel.
Conspicuous by their absence: Extra security at the TV and radio station (if this was a coup attempt these places should both have extra guards).
Conspicuous by their absence: Malae in Dili centre, apart from security forces.
Conspicuous by the non-absence: Many Timorese on the streets, expecially in central Dili but not many people on the street in my area. Maybe the news hasn't filtered down yet.
I think the next 24 hours could be very interesting. We have done the usual and bought in essential supplies: beer/fags/water etc. and the press are on the way....... Once again, not a hotel room to be had in Dili....
....
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11 comments:
Would you mind elaborating on the suggesting that Reinado was a guest at JRH's house, rather than the leader of the assailants? If it true, then it is incredible and suspicious that none of outside media are taking that line.
Is Radio Timor Leste credible?
Interesting times FOS. Hope all you sods and pals stay safe. Fingers crossed the place doesn't implode. Oh, and make a bob or two from the journos.
NM
The Radio Timor Leste report is so far the only report I have heard that suggest Reinado was a guest at JRH's house and I don't think they have repeated it. I still am curious about the source of the report and am trying to follow it up. As for RTL'S credibility, I think it would be very unprofessional of me to comment either way.
"I think it would be very unprofessional of me to comment either way."
That's fair.
I haven't heard anything like that either.
The Australian are reporting that Reinado arrived at JRH's house "asking for the President" and was immediately shot (though it doesn't say by who).
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23199629-25837,00.html
It is very interesting to see more and more facts come through about the events. Just from reading the media it is hard to say just how orchestrated this was, and whether or not the violence was spontaneous.
A photograph of a dead man, said to be Reinado shows him fully kitted up in military gear. If he had been a 'guest' of Horta's I doubt he would have been in full military kit, including ammunition packs.See:
http://www.cjitl.blogspot.com/
Everything's blurry now..we don't know exactly about the events...
but i think the true will come..coz i believe in strength of truth..
4 me the true's Alfredo(even he's gone,, 4 me he nver gone..he's just in somewhere...):(
but we also will know soon from Ramos,if he get heal..but do u think JRH will say the true?even he wants but i think he can't..
I cudn't think now...
RTTL!!????
by:sailentirs....
Reports of Reinado being a guest at Horta's house are most unlikely to be true.
Except for the personal security of the Presidente which is the exclusive responsibility UNPOL and PNTL, it is the F-FDTL who is responsible for securing the perimeter of the President's residence as Taur Matan Ruak has stated recently in a press conference.
This report or rumour suggests that Reinado was a guest at a house being secured by the very soldiers whom he fought against at Fatuahi in 2006.
How likely could that be?
I find it most unlikely that Reinado would depend on F-FDTL soldiers for his own security.
At best this report is being made by interest groups who want to provoke a reaction from the groups who have in the past supported Alfredo Reinado.
In any case there are now claims from Leandro Issac that he was contacted by one of Reinado's men (Lay) who was present during the attack and claims that they (Alfredo's men) were under the impression that Reinado had gone there to talk to the President but were then surprise when they saw him disarm the security guards at the house. A fight ensued which left Alfredo dead.
This leads us to believe that, first this rebel by the name of Lay is trying to distance himself from this attack and from any responsibility and second that Reinado was not stayinh at the house but had travelled there that morning.
In any case, time will tell us more as more credible information is made available.
Maybe these two attacks were not coup or assasination attempts. Maybe both attempts were to try and take JRH and XG hostage in their own houses and then Reinado would have had a strong bargaining position to 'represent' the petitioners.
And both attempts went drastically wrong. Maybe.
Quote:"Except for the personal security of the Presidente which is the exclusive responsibility UNPOL and PNTL, it is the F-FDTL who is responsible for securing the perimeter of the President's residence as Taur Matan Ruak has stated recently in a press conference."
I'm afraid this comment is false (UN is not involved in personal protection of any national political entity, and this is easily provable checking mandates and areas of responsibility...) and, most of all, irresponsible. Matan Ruak's affirmation might contribute to destabilize the country even more by giving an excuse to target UN people/facilities.
Question: why did RH head back to the house after he heard the shots?
Question2: Xanana's attack was planned or a "vengeance"? (what a bizzarre plan in the first case...)
UN Report UNMIT Internal Review Panel - April 2008
http://umalulik.blogspot.com/2008/09/relatrio-sobre-oa-atentados-11-de.html
This was great to read thank you.
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