by Mathias Hariyadi

Confirmation comes from president Yudhoyono, who emphasises their nationality in response to accusations of collusion with the attackers made against Jakarta by Timorese authorities.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - The Indonesian government confirms that it has arrested three men involved in the attack against the president of Timor Leste,  Josè Ramos-Horta.  They are Timorese military personnel, who fled immediately after the attack: the police have identified them as Egido Lay Carvalho, Jose Gomes, and Ismail Sansao Monis Soarez.

Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono adds: "The three fugitives fled to the bordering town soon after the shooting. According to the police, they were trying to leave the country to hide elsewhere. They are now under arrest".

Ramos-Horta, who was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1996, was seriously wounded in the stomach during an attack carried out by rebel leader Alfredo Reinado shortly before dawn last February 11.  After an urgent operation and eight days of induced coma, he recovered and forgave his attackers "in the name of peace".  The mastermind of the attack, Reinado, was killed during the shootout that took place afterward.

The announcement of the capture gives a new boost to relations between the two countries, divided by the accusations of collusion with the attackers made against Jakarta by Timorese authorities. Yudhoyono emphasises, in fact, that the men under arrest "are not Indonesian, as some had thought".

• Indonesia
• East
• Timor
• Leste
• assassination
• attempt
• Timorese
• president
• attackers
• arrested
• captured