In 2008, I went to East Timorese to cover the aftermath of the killing attempt of their president Jose Ramos-Horta. He was shot by rebel East Timorese troops as he returned to his official residence on the beach outside Dili.
The mutineers were led by Major Alfredo Reinado, who was killed in the gunbattle with the president's bodyguard.
An hour later other soldiers loyal to Reinado attacked the convoy of the country's prime minister, Xanana Gusmao, 61, who escaped unhurt.
Some leaders of the rebel soldiers involved in the attacks eventually gave themselves up after evading a manhunt by elite Australian peacekeeping troops, but others remain at large.
Ramos-Horta appealed for calm in his fledgling Asian nation in the hope that it can put the violence of recent years behind it to achieve a degree of much-needed stability.
"My message to my people is please forgo violence and hatred with weapons, machetes, with arson - we only destroy each other and the country," he said.
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| Interviewing the father of Alfredo Reinado |
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| Press conference by the military (Major -General Taur Matan Ruak) |
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| Interviewing Mari Alkatiri in his house |
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The guards in Mari Alkatiri's house were equipped with long barrels
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Journalists were allowed to visit the prisoners
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A "HIGHLY protected" Australian Federal Police ballistics report shows that one of Timorese President Jose Ramos Horta's personal guards, who claims he shot dead the rebel leader Major Alfredo Reinado, could not have done so.
The AFP report finds Dr Ramos Horta was shot with 5.56mm NATO bullets.
While there was minor fragmentation, the bullets largely stayed intact in his body.
The bullets that killed Reinado were different to the one bullet that killed Leopoldino, but both types fragmented inside their bodies.
Experts test-fired all the guns supposedly used (or not used) by the rebels and the President's guard, including Marcal's FNC Minimi.
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| City of Dili |
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| East Timorese National Flag |
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| Journalist from many media came to cover the story |
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| The face of East Timorese kids |
