YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia, March 6 (UPI) -- An Indonesian airliner bounced off the runway while landing at Yogyakarta early Wednesday and burst into flames.

Some victims were believed to have been trapped in the burning plane, which landed in a rice field next to the runway.

Minister of Transport Hatta Rajasa told Metro TV that 76 people on board the Garuda Indonesia plane survived. The Boeing 737-400 was believed to be carrying 140 passengers and crew.

The passengers included at least five Australian journalists covering Foreign Minister Alexander Downer's trip to Indonesia and officials with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. One of the newspaper's correspondents, Cynthia Banham, survived with injuries.

The crash was the second major one in Indonesia this year. An Adam Air 737-400 went down over the water near Sulawesi on New Year's Day.

Libby guilty of perjury in CIA leak case

WASHINGTON, March 6 (UPI) -- A Washington jury found Lewis Libby, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, guilty of four counts of perjury and obstruction of justice.

Libby resigned in 2005 after being indicted by a grand jury before which he had testified about his role in the leak of a CIA agent's name that was then printed in a nationally syndicated column.

The jury on Tuesday acquitted Libby on one charge of perjury but convicted him of two others involving discussions with reporters, a third for deceiving a grand jury and a fourth count making a false statement to the FBI, CNN reported.

The 56-year-old faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a fine of $1 million, although his defense attorney said he would file a motion for a new trial and, if denied, an appeal would be filed.

The politically charged trial heard allegations CIA operative Valerie Plame's name was leaked in retaliation for a newspaper opinion piece written by her husband that criticized the Bush administration's justification for going to war in Iraq.

Dana Perino, a spokeswoman for U.S. President George Bush, refused to rule out a presidential pardon for Libby, saying he has the same right as anyone else convicted to apply for one. She said the president would have no comment on "an ongoing criminal matter."

Cheney 'disappointed' by Libby verdict

WASHINGTON, March 6 (UPI) -- Vice President Dick Cheney said he was "very disappointed" with the conviction of his former aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby of perjury and obstruction of justice.

Libby was convicted Tuesday of two counts of lying involving discussions with reporters, one count of obstruction of justice and a fourth count making a false statement. He was acquitted of one count of perjury.

"I am very disappointed with the verdict," Cheney said in a statement. "I am saddened for Scooter and his family. As I have said before, Scooter has served our nation tirelessly and with great distinction through many years of public service."

Sentencing was set for June 5.

Libby, 56, was Cheney's chief of staff in the Office of the Vice President until his resignation in 2005.

"Since his legal team has announced that he is seeking a new trial and, if necessary, pursuing an appeal, I plan to have no further comment on the merits of this matter until these proceedings are concluded," Cheney said.

Bush: 'Encouraging signs' in Iraq

WASHINGTON, March 6 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush Tuesday told the American Legion in Washington there are "encouraging signs" in the fight against Iraqi extremists.

The war is more than a conflict in one country," he said. "It is part of a larger struggle against extremism that is unfolding across the broader Middle East.

"The extremists are fighting to take control of Iraq so they can establish it as a base from which to overthrow moderate governments in the region and plan new attacks on the American people. If we fail in Iraq, the enemy will follow us home."

Bush earlier announced his new strategy for Iraq, which included the addition of 20,000 U.S. troops, closer ties with the Iraqi government and a new focus on troubled neighborhoods of Baghdad.

"Even at this early hour, there are some encouraging signs," he said.

Iraqi and U.S. forces have rounded up more than 700 Shiite extremists, recovered large weapons caches and staved off planned attacks on U.S. troops, he said.

"Iraqi and U.S. forces are making gradual but important progress almost every day and we will remain steadfast until our objectives are achieved."

Kidnapping may have political motive

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 6 (UPI) -- Three bullet-riddled vehicles used by the five British diplomats kidnapped in a remote area of Ethiopia have been found in a small village, a report said.

Belongings, including cell telephones, shoes and other luggage, were still inside the vehicles, The Independent reported Tuesday. Officials say that may be a sign that the kidnappers had a political motive, not robbery and ransom.

Those kidnapped were diplomats assigned to the embassy in Addis Ababa or family members. They were on a trek in the Danakil Desert, a hot, dry area near the Eritrean border.

The utility vehicles were found in the village of Hamedelah. Some of the villagers also were abducted and then freed a few hours later.

Officials say that the kidnappers may be members of the Union of Islamic Courts who have taken refuge in Eritrea after being driven out of Somalia by the Ethiopian army.

Army medic convicted of desertion

WURZBURG, Germany, March 6 (UPI) -- A U.S. Army medic who refused to serve in Iraq was convicted of desertion Tuesday and sentenced to eight months in a military prison.

A judge at a court martial in Germany also ordered a bad conduct discharge for Agustin Aguayo and loss of pay and allowances, Deutsche Welle reported.

Aguayo pleaded guilty to going absent without official leave. But Col. Peter Masterson, the court martial judge, found him guilty of the more serious charge of desertion.

After his unit returned to Germany from Iraq, Aguayo applied for conscientious objector status. When he was turned down, he left his base, going through a bathroom window at night, and fled to his home in Los Angeles. He turned himself in 24 days later and was returned to Germany to face charges.

Aguayo, who enlisted after the invasion of Afghanistan in 2002, sought classification as a conscientious objector before his first deployment in Iraq. His wife said he refused to carry a loaded weapon while he was there.