Darwin – A Dutch journalist shot dead in East Timor was probably killed by Indonesian troops, an Australian coroner said yesterday.

Northern Territory coroner Mr Greg Cavanagh was handing down his findings from an investigation into the killing of Mr Sander Robert Thoenes, 30, whose mutilated body was found in the East Timorese capital Dili on September 22.

Mr Thoenes had been shot in the back, probably after he fell off a motorbike, Mr Cavanagh found.

"I find that on all of the evidence available thus far, it is probable that a member or members of the 745 battalion of the TNI [Indonesian army] shot the deceased," he said in his written findings.

However, because witnesses had not been made fully available for examination, he was unable to completely discount the possibility that the killers were people dressed as TNI.

The coroner conducted the inquiry because Mr Thoenes's body was flown to Darwin the day he was found.

An autopsy conducted on September 24 in Darwin found Mr Thoenes had been mutilated. His left ear had been amputated and there were cuts on his face. Such mutilations were typical of East Timorese who made up the Indonesian army's 745 battalion, Mr Cavanagh was told.

Mr Thoenes's driver, Mr Florinda Da Conceiro Araujo, told the investigation he turned his motorcycle to leave after six armed people in TNI uniforms signalled them to stop. The motorbike fell and Mr Araujo fled the scene as the six began shooting.