General found guilty over E Timor

General Damiri said he was very disappointed by the verdict

A senior Indonesian general has been found guilty of failing to prevent violence during East Timor's independence vote.

Major-General Adam Damiri was sentenced to three years in jail by a special human rights court, for what Judge Marmi Mustafa described as "gross human rights violations".

General Damiri is the highest-ranking Indonesian to face the special tribunal, which was set up to investigate abuses committed during the 1999 independence vote, when more than 1,000 people died.

The US Government praised the guilty verdict but criticised the tribunals for convicting few defendants, and allowing those found guilty to remain free pending appeals.

"The United States is disappointed with the performance and record of the Indonesian ad hoc tribunal," State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said in Washington.

"We believe that the overall process of the tribunal has been flawed and lacked credibility."

Unexpected

The verdict has surprised analysts, who widely expected that the general would be acquitted, since the prosecution itself had requested that the charges be dropped due to lack of evidence.

More than 1,000 people died in the East Timor conflict

But Judge Emmy said: "The panel of judges does not share the opinion of the prosecutors who said the defendant was not guilty."

When the verdict was read out, General Damiri threw his arms in the air and shouted loudly.

"I feel very disappointed with this decision," he said afterwards, adding that he would appeal.

The BBC's Asia analyst Jill McGivering says the verdict may help to boost the credibility of the tribunal, which has come under heavy criticism for the high number of acquittals and the lenient sentences it has meted out.

General Damiri was the last of 18 suspects to appear in the specially convened tribunal, and only five other suspects have been convicted.

The toughest punishment was a 10-year prison sentence given to a civilian.

The court was set up to deflect pressure for an international inquiry into the East Timor violence, but campaigners both at home and abroad have called it a sham.

'Too busy' for trial

The case of General Damiri has been particularly controversial.

In 1999 General Damiri was commander of the region of Indonesia which at the time included East Timor.

As such he was the most senior military officer to face charges in connection with the wave of bloody violence which marred the territory's transition to independence.

The indictment against him said he should have stopped the bands of armed militia who carried out the majority of the killings.

United Nations officials have also accused the Indonesian army of training, equipping and commanding the militia gangs.

General Damiri himself has failed to show up for some of the earlier phases of his trial, saying he was too busy.

Tuesday's verdict also may have resonance for one of Indonesia's current crises, according to our correspondent.

General Damiri is still a serving officer, with an active role in the Indonesian Government's military campaign against separatist rebels in the province of Aceh.

That campaign is also attracting international concern - and is condemned by many rights groups, who accuse the military of widespread human rights violations there.