JAKARTA -- Indonesian troops disguised as militiamen took part in a bloody attack on pro-independence refugees in East Timor in September 1999, prosecutors told a Human Rights court Tuesday.

The accusation of direct military involvement in the slaughter was made in the charge sheet against Lieutenant Colonel Sujarwo then commander of the Dili military district.

He is the 12th military, police or civilian official to appear before the rights court, which is holding trials over a series of massacres in east timor before and after its August 1999 vote to separate from Indonesia, AFP reported.

On Monday Lieutenant Colonel Endar Priyanto, who was military commander of the East Timor capital Dili in April 1999, was accused of crimes against humanity by failing to prevent a massacre of 12 civilians that month.

Despite widespread claims that local pro-Jakarta militias were organized and directed by Indonesian forces, officials testifying at the rights court have portrayed the bloodshed as clashes between local factions which they were powerless to prevent.

Prosecutor Hotman Ambarita, reading the charges, said that on September 6, 1999, pro-integration supporters "including militias and troops disguised as militias", came to the residence of Dili bishop Carlos Ximenes Filipe Belo. They forced independence supporters who were sheltering there to come out.

Ambarita said that after the scared refugees had gathered in a park in front of the residence, an order to attack was heard. The militias and soldiers fired at the refugees, leaving two people killed.

As well as the 12 whose trials have started, six others are due to appear before the rights court. They are, or will be, accused of crimes against humanity for failing to halt massacres of civilians.

If convicted, they face sentences ranging from 10 years in prison to death.

Sujarwo is charged with responsibility for "gross human rights violations" by troops under his effective command.

He is accused of failing to prevent or to stop the killing of civilians and of failing to hand over the perpetrators to the authorities.

Local militiamen, created and supported by Indonesian military elements, waged a campaign of intimidation and revenge before and after East Timor's independence vote.

At least 1,000 East Timorese are estimated to have died and whole towns were burnt to the ground.

Among the attacks was one at the Dili diocese on September 5 and the one at the bishop's house the following day.

These left a total of 15 people killed and scores injured.

Chief Judge Andi Samsan nganro adjourned Sujarwo's case until Monday next week.

The trial continued Tuesday of four army officers and one police officer accused of failure to prevent an attack on a church in Suai district in 1999.

Former East Timor military commander Brigadier General Nur Muis testified that before the attack, church officials had banned troops and police from entering the compound.

Muis also blamed the then-United Nations administrators in East Timor for the bloodshed, saying they had given orders to pull Indonesian soldiers out of the region.

He said two of his subordinates who are on trial had carried out his orders to "prevent more casualties" from taking place following the attack.

Indonesia set up the rights court to deflect pressure for a UN tribunal into the slaughter. No verdicts have yet been delivered and critics say top officials have not been brought to court.