Associated Press in Kupang – A notorious militia leader surrendered a handgun to police on Saturday after Indonesia's president threatened to have him arrested if he refused.

Eurico Guterres, who commands the Aitarak or "Thorn" gang, also vowed to abandon violence in his fight against independence for East Timor. "I will continue my struggle in politics. But I promise, I will no longer use firearms," Guterres said.

The largely symbolic handover came as Indonesia's military admitted that many gang members in Indonesian West Timor were hiding weapons in defiance of a weeklong campaign to disarm them. Later on Saturday, a squad of more than 20 armed police officers raided and searched Gutteres's house but found only a hunting knife.

Indonesia is under strong international pressure to disarm the militias after gang members murdered three UN aid workers in West Timor on September 6. Even so, Indonesian security forces said they had netted only 85 automatic rifles and pistols along with about 1,000 crude homemade guns plus ammunition and grenades.

Regional military commander Major General Kiki Syahnakri, admitted many militiamen had stashed their weapons. "They will face stern action. We will find them," local newspapers quoted him as saying.

Guterres voluntarily handed in a pistol and 74 bullets at a police station in West Timor's capital, Kupang. Despite his pledge of peace, he admitted that he possessed more guns.