The United States has called on the Indonesian government to redouble efforts to prosecute human rights abuses by its security forces in East Timor.

The call follows the acquittal of a police chief and five others on such charges.

An American State Department spokesman, Philip Reeker, says Washington strongly supports the process of seeking accountability for crimes committed in East Timor.

In its first verdict, former East Timor governor Abilio Soares received a three year jail sentence for failing to control his subordinates from committing crimes against humanity.

Yesterday, the court acquitted a former East Timor police commander, along with five Indonesian military and police officers accused of failing to prevent a church massacre in Suai in 1999.

Amnesty International and the Judicial System Monitoring Program sharply criticized the court verdicts.