Australian troops in East Timor hunt for suspects in attacks on top leaders

Australian troops backed by helicopters hunted Thursday for suspects in the attacks on East Timor's top leaders as new details emerged on the strike that left the president critically wounded.

The operation, which also involved U.N. police officers and armored personnel carriers, took place on the outskirts of Dili and involved troops combing through the jungle, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene.

Referring to the operation, U.N. spokeswoman Alison Cooper initially said that "anti-insurgency" operations had begun. However, she said later she had intended to say they would begin once arrest warrants were issued in the case.

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