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January 23, 2009

Blair Denies Backing Indonesian Atrocities in East Timor
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On Capitol Hill, Admiral Dennis Blair faced questions about his role in
supporting Indonesian atrocities in East Timor during his confirmation
hearing Thursday on becoming Director of National Intelligence. Blair
denied breaking with official US policy and supporting the general in
charge of a massacre in a Catholic Church. Blair says he told the
Indonesian military to end torture and mass killings of East Timorese.
Blair said, “Those who say that I was somehow carrying out my own policy
or saying things that were not in accordance with American policy are
just flat, flat wrong.” US cables and Church documents obtained by the
veteran journalist Allan Nairn have directly contradicted Blair’s
claims.



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