Reporter: Emma Alberici

Eleanor Hall: The NSW Coroner's Court has today begun investigating just what happened to Sydney journalist Brian Peters, 31 years after he died in Balibo in East Timor.

Brian Peters was working as a reporter and cameraman for Channel Nine on October 16th 1975 when he and four news colleagues were found dead during the conflict between defenders of East Timorese independence and forces sympathetic to Indonesian integration with the former Portuguese colony.

There have so far been seven inquiries into the deaths of the five journalists, and two books written about the subject. But until today, no coronial inquiry.

Emma Alberici is at the Coroner's Court in Glebe and she joins us now. So, Emma, what is the significance of this eighth inquiry?

Emma Alberici: Well, Eleanor, this inquiry was brought about by Maureen Tolfree, the sister of Brian Peters, and her lawyer, Rodney Lewis.

In the year 2000, they came to Glebe and lodged a formal complaint with the police. Astoundingly, it hadn't happened until then, and the coroner's court found in 2004 that indeed they did have jurisdiction to hear this matter, and the coroner agreed to hold the inquest.

It was supposed to be last year, but after the rioting in Timor, it was pushed to this year, and there has indeed been a packed courtroom to hear the opening address by Mark Tedeschi, the counsel assisting deputy state coroner Dorelle Pinch, who herself said this was unprecedented in its scope and of historical significance, also because the majority of the 66 witnesses to be called are being brought here from Timor.

Eleanor Hall: Now, what is the scenario being advanced by the counsel assisting the coroner as to how these men died?

Emma Alberici: Well, interestingly enough, the most explosive evidence has been pointed to so far today is that it named Yunis Yosfir, who was appointed Minister for Information in the Habibe Government in Indonesia in 1998, that he actually led the attack on Balibo, back in 1975.

This is not something that's ever been made public before, and counsel assisting the deputy state coroner is saying that up to 1,000 troops bombarded the small East Timorese town at around 6 o'clock in the morning on that fateful Thursday.

Fretilin East Timorese Independence Fighters had already retreated, so there was no other reason for the Indonesian-led attack, other than it was specifically targeting the Australian journalists.

The five men attempted to surrender themselves to the protection of the invading forces but were set upon and either shot or stabbed to death.

And then it's alleged that the Indonesian army clothed them in Fretilin fighter uniforms and placed machine guns by their sides to give the appearance that they were somehow aligned or indeed involved in the fight for East Timorese independence.

Eleanor Hall: Now, Emma, is the inquiry going to hear from this former Information Minister from the Habibe government?

Emma Alberici: Unfortunately, Eleanor, this court doesn't have the jurisdiction to call anyone from Indonesia, which of course has attracted the ire of counsel assisting.

He made quite a big deal, Mark Tedeschi, of the fact that they still invite these people to come forward, all the Indonesians they have called to give evidence have refused to do so, so indeed not even given a response to those calls.

But one person who will be giving evidence, who has never done so before is a man they are calling 'Glebe 2'. His identity will be withheld. He was the leader of the East Timorese partisan soldiers on the Indonesian side. First time we will have heard from him and he was actually there on the day of the attack.

Eleanor Hall: And, Emma, has there been any mention about how much prior knowledge the Australian Government had of the attack, or whether there was any prior knowledge?

Emma Alberici: Eleanor, there's been a lot about that. Indeed, the evidence that will been given will say A, that the Australian Government knew the attack on Balibo was about to take place and B, that the five Australian journalists in Balibo at the time, that they knew they were there.

In fact, the defence signal directorate knew the journalists were there, that's the Australian electronic spy agency, and it said that we will hear evidence by two men who worked with Justice Hope on the royal commission on intelligence and security.

But they both clearly remember that a message they saw was an Indonesian radio message from an Indonesian commander on the ground in East Timor to a senior military officer in Jakarta, which said, "As directed or in accordance with your instructions, five journalists have been located and shot".

And that is a signal that was intercepted by the Australian defence signal directorate.

Eleanor Hall: Emma Alberici at the Coroner's Court in Sydney, thank you.