Jakarta – In the first public admission that the military was behind the killing of Papuan independence leader Theys Eluay, an Indonesian army officer told a court martial yesterday that one of his men strangled the politician.

Lt-Colonel Hartomo told the tribunal in Surabaya that one of his subordinates, Private Ahmad Zulfahmi, asphyxiated Mr Theys after failing to persuade him to drop plans to seek independence for the restive Indonesian province.

Mr Theys was found dead on the outskirts of Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, in November 2001. Earlier that night, he had attended a dinner hosted by the Indonesian army's special forces unit.

The death of the activist, who led a peaceful independence campaign, sharply increased the distrust felt by Papuans towards Indonesian security forces. The latter are often viewed as occupiers. It also prompted foreign activists to intensify their push for an independent Papua.

Military prosecutors in the port city of Surabaya have charged seven officers and soldiers in connection with Mr Theys' death.

Lt-Col Hartomo, one of the seven, insisted that he had nothing to do with the killing and that he learned about it a day later.

"I called Pte Zulfahmi and asked him what happened," he said. "He told me that he had choked him." Last week, a second defendant, Lt Agus Supriyanto, said his superiors had ordered him and Pte Zulfahmi to pressure Mr Theys to stop promoting independence.

But when he resisted their pleas, Lt Agus said Pte Zulfahmi tried to silence the screaming politician by putting a hand over his mouth. Mr Theys was alive and alone in his car when the soldiers drove off, he testified. If found guilty, the defendants face up to 15 years in prison.