Accused ETimor rebel connection 'fears' for life
Updated
![The family of Angelita Pires, under investigation for her connection to East Timor rebel leader, Alfredo Reinado, has asked for Australia's help. [ABC TV]](http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/img/news/base/etimor_pires_abctv_0308.jpg "The family of Angelita Pires, under investigation for her connection to East Timor rebel leader, Alfredo Reinado, has asked for Australia's help. [ABC TV]")
The family of Angelita Pires, under investigation for her connection to East Timor rebel leader, Alfredo Reinado, has asked for Australia's help. [ABC TV]
The woman accused by the President of East Timor of fostering rebel resistance in the country says she fears for her life.
Angelita Pires was the girlfriend of rebel leader Alfredo Reinado who was killed by security forces during an attack on President Jose Ramos-Horta in February.
President Ramos-Horta was critically wounded in the attack at his house in the capital Dili.
Ms Pires is under investigation for her alleged role in the protracted guerrilla operation by Reinado who led a group of disaffected former soldiers who had been involved in mutiny and violence violence in 2006.
As Radio Australia's Karon Snowdon reports, her family is asking Australia to provide safe haven.
The murky events surrounding the near fatal shooting of the President and an attack on the Prime Minister the same day in February will remain cloudy until the results of the current investigation are known.
That's expected to be finalised by late July with any charges laid then.
It wasn't until April that the remaining rebels led by Reinado's deputy Salsinha surrendered and they claim not to know what Reinado's motive was for his early morning raid.
One of those under investigation for her possible role in the events leading up to that day is Angelita Pires who remains in Dili on bail with her passport confiscated.
She says comments by the President and the Prosecutor General Longuinos Monteiro have turned public opinion against her and jepardise her chances of a fair trial in the event she is charged.
She holds dual Australian and Timorese citizenship and her family live in Australia.
Her brother, Antonio Pires spoke to Radio Australia on her behalf.
He said she's 'fearful for her life.'
"She has had her life threatened by phone text," Mr Pires said.
"Basically from memory it said 'we know you, we know you we know where you are, you'd better look out, watch out' sort of thing.
"So I read that to mean its a threat to her life.
"One of her last messages in the last couple of days to me was 'please help me, I fear they will kill me'," he said.
East Timor's Prosecutor General, Longunios Monteiro said it would be inappropriate for him to comment while his investigation is ongoing.
'A negative influence' says President Ramos-Horta
President Ramos Horta has this week repeated his accusations made previously against Angelita Pires.
He told ABC Radio National's Philip Adams on Wednesday that while not a part of the February violence she was a mastermind behind Reinado's refusal to surrender over many months.
"Because I dealt with the Petitioners case Alfredo's case for a year and a half and everybody complained at the enormous negative influence this lady had on Reinado Alfredo," Dr Ramos-Horta said.
"Every time A. R. was ready to agree, and that goes back a year and a half, they were on the verge of signing an agreement, he suddenly changed his mind attacked a police post on the border region and took more weapons.
"I was told time and again this lady from Darwin, Timorese Australian, was involved and I know I dealt with the case I know for a fact," he said.
Jose Ramos Horta says he's confident his comments won't sway the independence of judges hearing any future case.
Antonio Pires says the damage has been done and he holds serious concerns for his sister's safety.
"We've pleaded for her safety that we, the family, would undertake to bring her back to Australia and hand her passport to Australian government authorities to hold and return her back to East Timor when the court is up and ready to hear the case.
"But that has been completely declined by the Australian Government; they are not interested in assisting," Mr Pires said.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs says via a written statement it is providing Ms Pires with a high level of consular assistance.
You can listen to the full story at the Connect Asia website: http://radioaustralia.net.au/connectasia
