Craig Skehan and Louise Williams – In an attempt to secure political asylum for a colleague, jailed East Timorese independence leader Xanana Gusmao has written a letter acknowledging that he authorised the making of bombs to attack military targets.

The revelation came as Indonesian authorities said yesterday they would ask the Australian Government for urgent help in tracking an Australian who they accuse of playing a role in the bomb-building.

Sources in Australia said that Gusmao, who is serving a 20-year prison term in Jakarta, has written to Austrian authorities urging them not to hand over an independence supporter who uses the name Avelino.

Avelino has temporary sanctuary with his wife and two young children at the Austrian Embassy in Jakarta.

The Australian sources said Avelino wants to be allowed refuge in Portugal, the colonial power in East Timor before Indonesia's 1975 invasion.

However, the Indonesian Government is demanding that he be handed to police because of his alleged involvement in the bombing plan.

Sources said Gusmao's letter states that if anyone was to be held responsible for the bomb making it should be him, as others were acting on his directions.

Gusmao said East Timorese had to defend themselves against the Indonesian military, which was being armed by countries all over the world, and that there had been no intention to use bombs against civilian targets. His admission that he approved the bombing campaign comes amid international efforts to secure his freedom.

The regional military commander for East Timor, Colonel Salamat Sidabutar, said yesterday that the Australian had spent about a month in central Java, where he had taught four East Timorese independence fighters how to assemble bombs.

The approach to the Australian Government would be made through the defence attache' at the embassy in Jakarta, said Brigadier-General A.W. Mokodongan.

He said the Australian, known only as Jeffrey, arrived in Indonesia in early March and stayed until early April, when he went to Portugal.

The operation was discovered last month after one of the bombs exploded accidentally and military intelligence officers seized documents and raw materials from the house, rented by three East Timorese.

Initial arrests included that of an East Timorese identified as Nunu, who was reported by Agence France Press to be the brother of Avelino.

The Melbourne-based East Timor Human Rights Centre said yesterday that up to 13 East Timorese men were believed to be in detention in Semarang and Dili in connection with the bomb making.