Church leaders want probe of attacks<\/p>\n
Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu<\/p>\n
Enraged by the latest attacks on churches in Palu, Central
\nSulawesi, Christian leaders demanded here on Tuesday that the
\ngovernment investigate the bloody incidents thoroughly.<\/p>\n
The church leaders urged the police to focus their
\ninvestigation on the discovery of nine bullet casings, made by
\nstate arms producer PT Pusat Industri Angkatan Darat (PT Pindad).<\/p>\n
\"We demand that the management of PT Pindad be questioned and
\ninvestigated as to why the weapons and ammunition fell into the
\nhands of irresponsible people,\" Protestant minister J. Toding
\nsaid in reading out a statement signed by 20 Palu church leaders,
\nin front of a group of five visiting members of the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
The five legislators who visited the city on Tuesday -- two
\ndays after the incident -- included Teras Narang, Muttamimul Ula
\nand Imam Anshori. Unknown assailants sprayed bullets at a Palu
\nchurch and later detonated a bomb in another church in the city
\non Sunday night, injuring at least five people.<\/p>\n
Toding said that the investigation into PT Pindad would be the
\nkey to unraveling the string of mysterious attacks, both in Palu
\nand Poso regency, including those on Sunday.<\/p>\n
PT Pindad has produced weaponry exclusively for the Indonesian
\nmilitary (TNI) for years.<\/p>\n
As it does not supply parties other than the TNI, the
\ndiscovery of Pindad weaponry in the aftermath of armed attacks in
\nPalu and Poso -- including on Sunday night -- has led to
\nsuspicions that soldiers were involved.<\/p>\n
The minister expressed disappointment in the police, who have
\nfailed to track down and arrest the perpetrators of the attacks.<\/p>\n
The killers of female minister Susianti Tinulele, who was shot
\ndead while she was delivering a sermon in Palu in July, are still
\nat large.<\/p>\n
Another Christian leader, Manampiring, urged the government to
\nbeef up security around Palu churches ahead of Christmas. \"The
\ngovernment has to prioritize security here, otherwise the
\ncondition in Palu will become unstable,\" he was quoted as saying
\nby Antara news agency.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, three victims of Sunday's incident remained
\nhospitalized in Palu as of Tuesday, although hospital staff said
\ntheir health had greatly improved.<\/p>",
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