Jakarta – Noted lawyer and founder of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) Adnan Buyung Nasution resigned on Tuesday from the Indonesian Military (TNI) defense lawyer team for East Timor human rights case, saying that he wouldconcentrate more on the consolidation of LBH.

Adnan revealed to the media on Tuesday that his decision to be "non-active" on the TNI defense team was based on the fact that LBH has gone off its original track as an advocate for upholding the supremacy of the law and democracy.

He flatly rejected rumors that he resigned due to pressure from LBH. "LBH is supposed to fight militarism, but in the latest development the organization has become anti-military and anti-police and also somewhat anti-state. It is our duty to provide a fair and proper defense for our military and police officers, because they are also Indonesian citizens," Adnan said as quotedby SCTV private television station.

Adnan further said that there was friction between LBH members and that some even wanted to turn LBH into a mass-organization with certain political goals. Adnan, however, refused to elaborate further.

In a period when the TNI and the National Police are being battered and their image tarnished both nationally and internationally, the officers "deserve to get the best possible defense", he said. "It is everybody's right to have a good legal defense. We can't be naive and said that 'he's not a human rights lawyer because he defends the military'," Adnan said.

The current TNI defense team is led by Bob Nainggolan. Other members are Hotma Sitompul and Moh. Assegaf. Adnan, however, said that he would be "open to give any advice" on the defense of TNI and the National Police in the East Timor case.