Incident Summary:

06/03/2007: East Timorese politician Alfonso Guterres was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer carrying small arms during a political rally for CNRT Party head Xanana Gusmao outside a police station in Viqueque, Viquedue District, Timor Leste. No claim of responsibility was reported.

GTD ID:
200706030015

When:
2007-06-03

Country:
East Timor

Region:
Southeast Asia

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Viqueque

City:
Viqueque

Location Details:
Outside a police station.

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Assassination
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Government (General)
Name of Entity East Timorese politician
Specific Description Alfonso Guterres
Nationality of Target East Timor
Additional Information
Hostages No
Ransom No
Property Damage No
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Firearms Unknown Gun Type
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?No
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) No
Additional Information The officer, believed to be a supporter of the Fretilin Party, fired five shots and fled the scene. Gusmao, who was in an adjacent building at the time, was not injured. This attack was the first of two against CNRT supporters in Viqueque on June 3 and the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Timor Leste subsequently increased its electoral security duties. One male perpetrator surrender to police on June 7 in Watulari, Dili (District), Timor Leste.
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Unknown No
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators 1
Number of Captured Perpetrators 1
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 1 Fatalities / 0 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 1
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured 0
Number of U.S. Injured 0
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
“Gunmen kill activist at Timor campaign rally,” Agence France Presse, June 3, 2007.
“1 dead after gunman opens fire during E. Timor election campaign,” Japan Economic Newswire, June 3, 2007.
“Mob attack former president's motorcade in East Timor, 1 killed elsewhere,” Associated Press Worldstream, June 3, 2007.