U.S. Marines Bring Humanitarian Aid

Backed by four U.S. Navy ships, hundreds of heavily armed Marines moved into the convulsed island territory of East Timor, delivering humanitarian aid and ready to defend against any threat by militia gangs, said Marine spokesman Lt. Jeff Landis. Last week, militias killed three U.N. aid workers in neighboring West Timor, and other gangs have killed two U.N. peacekeepers in East Timor in recent clashes. The U.S. troops ferried tons of building materials and food to humanitarian groups. The Camp Pendleton-based Marines were expected to leave Saturday.