Maritime Police witness for UNMIT's imported bullets

Dili Port and Container Terminal

East Timor Legal News 19/09/2011 Source: Suara Timor Lorosae September 15, 2011 language source: Tetun - The Timorese Maritime Police Commander, Superintendent Lino Saldanha, said on August 30, they discovered the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) had imported two containers which contained bullets.

The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) denied that  it have ever imported bullets into the country as they do not consider ISF as part of UN mission in the country, he said.

Saldanha affirmed that he was contacted by Rui Castro's men at night to inform him about the bullets; therefore he contacted with the PNTL General Commander and Intelligence officials about the case.

"I directly contacted the General Commander of PNTL and Intelligence in order to confiscate the containers, but unfortunately President Jose Ramos Horta has called for evidence of where the bullets are?" Saldanha said.

The Maritime Police officers saw the bullets in the containers and the containers were taken out of the Dili sea port at night, he said.

He called on the Government to pay attention to this case because importing guns or bullets should be known to the country's security authorities and it is not Rui Castro's task to do it.

PNTL Commander Commissioner Longuinhos Monteiro said he will ask ISF why they imported the bullets, adding that it is important for them to coordinate with the Government before they import any munitions as the bullets have critical implications for the security situation in the country.