THE youths appeared from nowhere, many of them armed but no uniforms, wearing only trousers with no shirts. They surrounded the government offices in Gleno, Ermera, then they smashed windows and set small fires. Eventually, the entire building was consumed in flames, producing a black cloud of smoke. Last Wednesday, the violence spread outside the capital Dili.

Four years after it gained independence, Timor Leste is gripped by terror: intimidation