Amien alleges Soeharto role in Java murder spree<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Indonesian Mandate Party (PAN)
\nAmien Rais alleged on Thursday that former president Soeharto was
\ninvolved in the killings of almost 200 Moslem preachers and
\npeople accused of practicing black magic in a wave of murders
\nthat has swept Java.<\/p>\n
Acknowledging that he did not have enough proof to support his
\nclaim, Amien suggested that Soeharto's motive was to divert
\npeople's anger away from him and his cronies.<\/p>\n
\"It is very difficult to find proof, but I think I am not far
\nfrom the truth in saying that Soeharto's hands are behind the
\nkillings,\" Amien told members of the Jakarta Foreign
\nCorrespondents Club.<\/p>\n
\"Soeharto's cronies and loyalists still want to fight back.
\nThey don't want reform and they want to distract attention from
\n(the probe into) the family's wealth,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The former chairman of the powerful Islamic Muhammadiyah
\norganization pointed out that several suspected killers had
\nadmitted they were deserters from the Army's Special Force
\n(Kopassus).<\/p>\n
Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, Soeharto's second son-in-law, is a
\nformer commander of the elite unit. A government-sponsored fact
\nfinding team on Tuesday suggested that Prabowo may have been
\ninvolved in organizing the May riots.<\/p>\n
Prabowo's brother, tycoon Hashim S. Djojohadikusomo, said on
\nWednesday that the accusation was part of a systematic attempt to
\ndiscredit the former Kopassus commander.<\/p>\n
\"They have been very successful, now everyone is obsessed with
\n'ninjas',\" Amien remarked, referring to the alleged killers who
\nreportedly wore dark clothing and masks in the fashion of
\nJapanese assassins.<\/p>\n
Amien said that even Nazi executioners would be frightened by
\nthe brutal slaughter that has been going on for the past three
\nmonths and said the murders were barbarian and cold-blooded.<\/p>\n
Thousands of villagers in Kuningan, West Java, ransacked a
\npolice station and injured seven police officers after being
\ndenied access to four alleged \"ninja\" killers they were intent on
\nlynching. Police had to fire rubber bullets and tear gas to
\ndisperse the mob.<\/p>\n
From Cilacap, Central Java it was reported that the local
\npolice precinct chief Lt. Col. Andi Lolo promised a reward of Rp
\n100,000 (US$12.5) to anyone who can capture a \"ninja\".<\/p>\n
\"If a person brings in five 'ninjas', they will receive Rp
\n500,000 provided the suspects have not been beaten,\" Andi said in
\na meeting with hundreds of ulemas here on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) deplored
\nthat many mentally handicapped people had become innocent victims
\nof angry mobs that suspected them of being \"ninja killers\".<\/p>\n
\"The rights and dignity of the mentally-ill are guaranteed by
\nthe United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights,\" the
\nassociation said in statement released on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, two of 45 people arrested by Bangkalan police in
\nEast Java on suspicion of killing three detectives died early on
\nThursday, only one day after being taken into police custody.<\/p>\n
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar named
\nthe two as Munayah, 45, a resident of Daleman village and Suri,
\n35, a resident of Telok village. Both died in a local hospital.<\/p>\n
\"Munayah died of severe wounds he suffered during the
\ncommotion. He was most likely hit by fellow residents. Suri died
\nof an illness he was suffering from before his arrest,\" Togar
\nsaid on Thursday.<\/p>\n
A mob of villagers attacked and killed three police detectives
\nwho were chasing a criminal, identified as Musa, after the latter
\nshouted \"ninja killers\" at the officers.<\/p>\n
The three detectives who died were Second Sgt. Yunus A.
\nParembong, Second Sgt. Hadiri and Second Sgt. M. Dahlan.<\/p>\n
Two other detectives escaped unharmed. Police made the arrests
\non the day after the detectives were killed. (prb\/emf\/45)<\/p>",
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