THE leader of an East Timor group which tried to assassinate the fledgling country`s president and prime minister is close to surrender, a UN spokeswoman says.
Authorities were in talks with Gastao Salsinha, the right-hand man of major Alfredo Reinado who was killed leading coordinated armed attacks on Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and President Jose Ramos-Horta on February 11, Allison Cooper said.