1 Jul 2004

Human rights group found guilty of defaming Indonesian army

10:27 am on 1 July 2004

An Indonesian court has found a human rights group guilty of defaming the Indonesian Army over a deadly shooting in West Papua.

The court said the group, Elsham, had alleged the Indonesian army was behind the attack, which killed two US school teachers and wounded eight others.

The verdict comes after an investigation by the United States FBI and the Indonesian army into the case was made public last week.

It blamed the separatist group, the Free West Papuan Movement, and not the Indonesian army, for the attack.

Human rights groups have criticised the probe, which say wasn't independent, and ran contrary to what was already known about the attack.