Jakarta criminal suspected in East Java murder spree<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): East Java Police chief Maj. Gen. M. Dayat has
\nalleged the person behind the continuing murder spree in Malang
\nregency, East Java, is a wanted criminal from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"We still don't know the motive but we're pretty sure that the
\nprovocateur is a man from Jakarta who has been in and out of jail
\nthree times and is currently at large,\" he said here on Saturday
\nnight.<\/p>\n
Antara reports that eight people have died in four separate
\nattacks in the regency since Dec. 9. The murders occurred in
\nPagak district, Ampelgading district, Kalipare and Sumbermanjing
\nWetan in South Malang.<\/p>\n
The killings appear to emulate those of alleged black magic
\npractitioners in Banyuwangi last year.<\/p>\n
Without elaborating, Dayat said the murderers were paid Rp 3
\nmillion by the suspected mastermind from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
When asked what preventive measures were being taken by
\npolice, Dayat said his men were doing their best, bearing in mind
\nthe size of the area that needs to be secured.<\/p>\n
\"After the three cases around Kalipare we deployed a company
\nof police to the area, but then one occurred again Pagak,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"You know its difficult for us because the distance between
\nKalipare and Pagak is about 30 kilometers in and out of forests\".<\/p>\n
He called on local communities to organize watches and not to
\nbe easily provoked, adding that he did not want to see a
\nrecurrence of the dreadful events which occurred in Banyuwangi.<\/p>\n
\"The incidents in Malang in my opinion are still purely
\ncriminal cases, not like those in Banyuwangi. We'll keep on
\ninvestigating,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
Most of the victims are known to be farmers; one is a Koran
\nteacher.<\/p>\n
At least 73 people have been questioned in the case.<\/p>\n
However, some of these were questioned because they were
\nsuspected of damaging a local police station after police tried
\nto question suspects.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile East Java Deputy Police Chief Brig. Gen Sudirman Ail
\nsaid police have detained four suspects in connection with the
\nmurders.<\/p>\n
He said another three were at large.<\/p>\n
Ail said police are being assisted by 60 members of the
\nsecurity force from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim Organization
\nto help maintain security and gather information.<\/p>\n
Malang and Banyuwangi are NU strongholds, an organization
\nwhich until recently was chaired by President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
More than a hundred people were murdered in the Banyuwangi
\nkilling spree. Many of the victims were local Muslim preachers
\nkilled by mysterious groups.<\/p>\n
The killings have never been fully solved. (jun)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakarta-criminal-suspected-in-east-java-murder-spree-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }