jakarta – A civilian and policeman testified on Monday at the trial of four soldiers and one policeman accused of gross human rights violations in East Timor in 1999 that they saw all the defendants at the scene of the church incident in Suai.

Pranoto, principal at the local junior high school, said soon after accompanying his family members to seek refuge in Suai he met former Suai military commander Lt. Col. Sugito.

Both Pranoto and Sony Sanjaya, a member of the police Mobile Brigade, testified in their capacity as witnesses at the trial of the five defendants at the Central Jakarta District Court.

At least 27 people were killed in the attack in the church, including three Catholic priests – Tarcisius Dewanto, Hilario Madeira and Francisco Soares.

The defendants – Sugito, former Covalima regent Col. Herman Sedyono; Sugito's predecessor Liliek Koeshadianto, Suai military command chief of staff Capt. Achmad Syamsudin, and former Suai Police station chief Lt. Col. Gatot Subiakto – were charged under Articles 7, 9, 37 and 42 of Law No. 26/2000 of the rights tribunal. The crimes carry sentences ranging from 10 years' imprisonment to the death penalty.

Pranoto explained that the late Olivio Mendoza Manek, the former head of the Laksaur militia, informed Sugito there was unrest at the St. Ave Maria Church. The three rushed to the church where they found the 27 bodies, including those of the three priests.

"When I arrived with my men at St. Ave Maria Church, soldiers and policemen were already around the compound taking cover as shots were still being fired," Sony told the human rights court.

Sanjaya said he arrived at the church in Suai after hearing volleys of shots there. He said he asked one soldier who was taking cover what was happening and was told that a group of pro-Indonesia East Timorese had stormed the church.

When asked why the East Timorese militias were allowed to attack the church, the soldier answered: "It is impossible to stop them because of their large number."