21.   Morland also noted that the United Nations was trying to organize a meeting between Joao Tavares, a prominent former militia commander, and East Timorese government officials.

22.   On Monday, Afghan militia commanders said most of the Tora Bora caves once occupied by al-Qaida forces have been cleaned out.

23.   Tavares was overall militia commander in East Timor before and during the independence ballot.

24.   Tensions have escalated into the worst fighting in six months following the recent killings of three Israeli soldiers and a militia commander.

25.   The army confirmed seeking out and killing the militia commander, and said the other three people killed were members of the Tanzim militia tied to Fatah.

26.   The Indonesian military and senior militia commander Jaoa Tavares said his men had been provoked into violence by attacks and threats by independence activists.

27.   The top militia commander, Tihomir Blaskic, and the commander-in-chief of the Croatian army, Gen. Janko Bobetko, were reported safe.

28.   Then there are the recurrent threats from militia commanders to fight their way back into East Timor.

29.   They included tribal leaders, dignitaries in robes and Western suits, militia commanders, and U.S. Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of the coalition forces.

30.   Those talks failed two days later, and the third militia commander, Hazrat Ali, called it a ruse to allow senior al-Qaida commanders to escape.