Jakarta – All charges against a general accused of crimes against humanity in East Timor in 1999 were unexpectedly withdrawn yesterday.

Major-General Adam Damiri, who headed the regional military command overseeing East Timor, is the last and most senior of 18 defendants to appear before Indonesia's human-rights court over the army-backed wave of bloody militia violence against East Timorese independence supporters in 1999.

Prosecutor Hozie withdrew all charges against him, saying he did not have enough evidence to back them up.

The court was set up to deflect pressure for an international tribunal into the bloodshed.