Ever watchful ... Pte Matthew Targett, 5/7RAR Bn Gp, and Fijian recon soldier LCpl Viliame Dabaroro, 3rd Bn Fiji Inf Regt, keep a lookout at the latest incident site in East Timor. Photo by WO2 Gary Ramage, 1JPAU(P)

Gang busters
Aussies thanked after suspects caught

By Capt Jason Logue
TWO weeks of complex security operations by members of AUSBATT VII have successfully closed the net on an organised criminal group in East Timor.

The criminals had been terrorising the villagers of Atabae in the Bobonaro District, killing two East Timorese and seriously wounding a third.

The incident occurred during an armed hold-up of a civilian bus on February 24.
CO AUSBATT VII Lt-Col Michael Lean said his battalion group responded to the shooting very quickly after receiving initial reports.

“Elements of Fiji Company were sweeping through the area shortly after the incident and we refocused the battalion to conduct cordon and search operations in the area once we had confirmation of the attack,” he said.

“We had a large number of people and AUSBATT’s APCs and vehicles into the search area in very short time.”

He said the immediate cordon of major access routes and strong surveillance contained the criminal group in the area.

After two days of intensive searching, local farmers living about 8km from the site of the bus attack complained to AUSBATT patrols about the theft of corn from their crops.

“We spoke to the villagers and during an initial search a patrol uncovered a small overnight campsite not far from the area.

“Based on this information we compressed the search into a much smaller area with almost immediate success.”

Lt-Col Lean said a patrol from the Fiji Company’s Reconnaissance Platoon identified a small footpad leading from a road about 2km from the area of the corn theft on the afternoon of February 27.

“These guys are accomplished visual trackers and they followed the sign towards a natural re-entrant a few hundred metres from the road.

Pte Michael Stranger, 5/7RAR Bn Gp, and Pte Ilisoni Matai, 3 Bn Fijian Inf Regt (5/7RAR Bn Gp) guard a checkpoint in East Timor during the sweep to find the criminal gang. Photo by WO2 Gary Ramage, 1JPAU(P)

“The patrol’s scouts identified what appeared to be an unoccupied sentry position and moved forward of the rest of their mates for a better look.”

Lt-Col Lean said they identified an armed group of three or four people sited in protected positions near a rocky outcrop 100m further up the re-entrant.

“The scouts reported their find and the platoon commander moved his patrol as close as possible given the available cover.”

He said the patrol emerged from the cover and called on the group to surrender.

“While most of the group began to flee, one member picked up a weapon and pointed it at the advancing patrol.

“Acting in self defence, the patrol immediately fired upon the armed group, wounding the gunman.”

“The patrol then secured the immediate area, reported the incident and provided first aid to the wounded person.

“It looks as though we approached this group as they were going through their evening routine … they had their boots off, food cooking and several items of equipment spread around prepared sleeping areas.”

Lt-Col Lean said the patrol’s report allowed the AUSBATT response to swing into action with some additional assets diverted to the incident site.

“We also launched our aero-medical evacuation capability and the wounded detainee was brought back to our Health Support Team facilities at Moleana for life-saving surgery.”

A subsequent follow-up by AUSBATT troops found the body of another member of the criminal group about 80m from the group’s positions.

“He was found with a rifle and a hand grenade.

“Obviously his wound was such that he fell into unconsciousness and died before any AUSBATT members reached his position.”

Lt-Col Lean said Portuguese Battalion (PORBATT) troops detained a suspected member of the criminal group as he attempted to cross the Leos River to the east of the incident site a short time later.

The wounded man is still detained in the AUSBATT medical facility undergoing further treatment while the other suspected criminal is being questioned by UN authorities.

Lt-Col Lean said he was extremely happy with the rapid and professional response by AUSBATT troops but, more importantly, the Timorese living in the area were especially thankful.

“We found a lot of corn at the campsite and I took it back to villagers who originally reported the threat.

“They were very happy with the result and very satisfied that their security concerns were responded to quickly.”

The UN has already commenced a formal investigation into the complete sequence of events.

The Atabae incident follows two months of intensive operations for the AUSBATT.

As well as its normal day-to-day operations it is also involved with the training and instructing of more than 60 East Timorese Police Service members in specialist skills needed for the formation of a new Border Patrol Unit.

The battalion group has also been extremely active in humanitarian activities throughout their area of operations. This includes building schools and other public facilities with donated funds and delivering desperately needed food and other goods to a remote group of more than 5000 people suffering a complete lack of food and water because of the late arrival of this year’s monsoon.

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