The Sydney Morning Herald, March 2, 2007
Balibo inquest warrant issued as Whitlam faces questions by
court
A SYDNEY coroner yesterday issued an arrest warrant for a former Indonesian
minister to be compelled to give evidence about his role in the killing of five
Australian-based newsmen in Balibo, East Timor, 31 years ago.
A deputy state coroner, Dorelle Pinch, also revealed that the former prime minister
Gough Whitlam had been interviewed by a court lawyer and might be ordered to
appear at her inquest into the deaths, along with other senior figures in his
government.
The arrest warrant against retired Indonesian lieutenant-general Mohammad Yunus
Yosfiah, who was information minister in 1998-99 and remains a member of
parliament, can only be executed if he enters Australia. As he has not been charged
with any offence, he cannot be the subject of an extradition request.
Ms Pinch said it had been issued because Mr Yosfiah had refused repeated
invitations to appear, most recently this week. "It's an indication of how seriously I
regard the necessity of having him here," she said.
Mr Yosfiah yesterday laughed when told of the warrant.
"Let it be. How can they do that?" he told Australian Associated Press. Asked if he
was concerned, he said: "No, why must I worry? I don't feel guilty."
This week Mr Yosfiah was identified by a former Canberra intelligence analyst,
Colonel Geoff Cameron, as having led special forces in the covert October 16, 1975,
attack on Balibo in which five newsmen from the Nine and Seven networks died.
Former members of local militias with the Indonesian troops have told the Coroners
Court that former captain Yosfiah ordered the newsmen killed as they tried to
surrender. One said he had led the shooting.
On Wednesday, a former navy linguist at the Defence Signals Directorate listening
station in Darwin said he had been called by Mr Whitlam's department within an hour
of his report that five Australian journalists had just been killed and their bodies
"incinerated or burnt to a crisp".
Ms Pinch said evidence heard over the past four weeks was taking the inquest into
the "inner sanctum" of Canberra privy to sensitive intelligence.
In October 1975, this comprised Mr Whitlam, his foreign minister, Don Willesee; his
defence minister, Bill Morrison; their department heads, and the head of the
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
"It seems likely that this group of people people will be able to give relevant evidence,"
she said.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Mark Tedeschi, QC, had interviewed Mr Whitlam within
the past week to obtain evidence. His statement would be studied before hearings
resume on May 1.
Aside from Mr Whitlam, the surviving members are Mr Morrison, the former Prime
Minister's Department head John Menadue, and the then Department of Foreign
Affairs secretary, Alan Renouf.
Copyright © 2007. The Sydney Morning Herald.
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