Australia to probe E Timor deaths（在线收听）

Australian police have launched a war crimes investigation into the deaths in East Timor in 1975 of the "Balibo Five" group of journalists.

In 2007, an Australian coroner(验尸官) found that they were executed by Indonesian special forces in the town of Balibo.

It is believed they were killed to stop them revealing details of an impending Indonesian（印度尼西亚文） invasion of East Timor.

Indonesia has always claimed that the five were killed in crossfire during the battle for the town.

In June, East Timor（东帝汶） President Jose Ramos Horta - a Timorese resistance commander at the time - accused Indonesian soldiers of having tortured and deliberately killed the journalists.

"Allegations of war crimes committed overseas give rise to complex legal and factual issues that require careful consideration by law enforcement agencies before deciding to investigate," the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a statement.

Hard-hitting movie

If sufficient material was uncovered to show "criminality or a real possibility of criminality", the AFP said it would ask Australia's chief prosecutor to consider whether war crimes charges should be laid.

"The standard of proof in a criminal proceeding is high, and differs from that of a coronial inquiry," it added.

The inquiry（调查） follows the recent release of a hard-hitting movie, "Balibo," depicting the deaths of Australians Greg Shackleton and Tony Stewart, Britons Brian Peters and Malcolm Rennie and New Zealander Gary Cunningham.

The film shows them being shot on the orders of Indonesian army officers.

Indonesian troops invaded East Timor shortly after Portugal withdrew in 1975, ending 450 years as its colonial ruler.

At least 100,000 people are estimated to have died as a result of Indonesia's 25-year occupation, which ended with East Timor's independence in 2002. （本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）