Karen Michelmore, Jakarta – The Indonesian government today declared the case of five Australian journalists' deaths in East Timor more than 30 years a closed matter.

It also said it had not received any request from Australian authorities about a warrant issued yesterday for Indonesian politician Yunis Yosfiah during an inquest into the 1975 death of one of the five men, who all died in the town of Balibo.

The New South Wales Deputy Coroner yesterday issued the warrant after Yosfiah failed to respond to several requests that he testify at the Sydney inquest.

Yosfiah, a former special forces commander and Indonesian government minister, has been named at the inquest as the person who ordered the attack on the journalists.

"For the Indonesian government it's a closed case," Indonesian Foreign Affairs Department spokesman Kriastiarto Soeryo Legowo told reporters. "It's a closed case. We don't see any new facts. We believe they were victims, they were killed in the process of a gun fight at that time. But at the moment, we don't see new evidence to justify the reopening of the case."

He said the arrest warrant had no jurisdiction "at all" in Indonesia, and did not involve the Indonesian government. "The warrant was issued for Mr Yunus personally so the Indonesian government is not linked," Legowo said. So it is nothing to do with the Indonesian government. We have not received a request from the Australian authorities, be it the state of NSW or the federal government."

He would not speculate on the possible response to any request should one be made. "But again I would like to explain here, that actually for the Indonesian government it's a closed case and we are sticking to our position," he said. "We don't see any new evidence that could become the basis to reopen this case."

Yosfiah, currently a member of the Islamic United Development Party (PPP) in Indonesia's Parliament, yesterday laughed off the warrant. "Let it be. How can they do that?," he said. "Ask the Indonesian government. Remember I'm an Indonesian citizen."

Asked if he was concerned about the arrest warrant, he said: "No, why must I worry? I don't feel guilty."

In 2001, Yosfiah denied the allegations and said he had never met the journalists, when questioned by an Indonesian parliamentary commission. At the time he reportedly said he had been stationed in Balibo in 1975 as a captain, and wanted to visit Australia to "explain the whole thing".