'Death threats' forced Reinado to flee

Subject: ABC: 'Death threats' forced Reinado to flee

ABC NewsOnline

Wednesday, September 6, 2006. 6:00am (AEST)

A non-government organisation in East Timor claims former rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was subject to repeated death threats in jail.

Reinado is one of 57 prisoners who escaped last Wednesday from Dili's Becora jail.

None of the escapees has been recaptured.

Justice advocate Aniceto Neves, who visited Reinado several times in jail, says he was driven to escape for fear of his life.

"Some people tried to kill him during the time in the cell - this is the main reason," he said.

"If there is no intent to attack him, to kill him, why [has] Alfredo Reinado escaped from the jail."

Mr Neves says the East Timor Government has failed to provide proper security in the jail.

"It is because of the conflict based on the west and east," he said.

"It is the main reason why some of the wardens was trying to attack him during the time in the prison."