Defence commander denies delaying East Timor president's ambulance

27/03/2008 17:57:19

The commander of Australian defence forces in East Timor has denied claims that a road block delayed help
for the wounded President last month.

It's claimed the block was manned by international stabilisation force troops who prevented an ambulance from reaching Jose Ramos Horta as he lay bleeding in front of his home after being shot by rebels.

Our reporter in Dili, Stephanie March, says East Timor's Fretilin opposition party has demanded Brigadier James Baker appear before parliament to explain why the ISF did not launch an immediate response to capture the rebels.

They have also demanded a response to allegations the ISF actively blocked an ambulance trying to reach the President's home.

Brigadier Baker has told the ABC claims the ISF blocked the ambulance are simply incorrect and in no way did the ISF provide anything other then assistance to President Horta as he was taken into the Australian Defence Force medical facility in Dili.

He says the ISF acted quickly to reports of the shooting and kept in contact with United Nations police to coordinate an appropriate response.

Brigadier Baker says the ISF are cooperating with the official investigation into the February attacks, which he says is the most appropriate way to determine exactly what happened before, during and after the incidents.

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