Police claim Ciamis killings have black magic link<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Police alleged here on Tuesday that 18 people
\nbelieved murdered in a killing spree in the West Java regency of
\nCiamis were involved in black magic.<\/p>\n
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar
\nannounced a preliminary investigation showed motivation for the
\nacts was driven by personal vengeance of several people against
\nthe victims' dabbling in black magic.<\/p>\n
He said the people paid locals to carry out the killings in a
\nscheme which resembled the slaying of 200 people, mostly Muslim
\nclerics, in Banyuwangi and other East Java towns last year.<\/p>\n
Parigi and Pangandaran districts of Ciamis were shocked on
\nApril 10 when six bodies were found, including three bundled
\ninside a sack, floating in Ciwayang River in Pangandaran.<\/p>\n
On Monday, police in the West Java capital of Bandung
\nannounced their findings to the media.<\/p>\n
Based on information from locals, they believed at least 18
\npeople recently reported missing had been killed.<\/p>\n
Togar confirmed an earlier report that 34 suspects were being
\nquestioned by the police.<\/p>\n
He also said the police's preliminary analysis showed the
\nkillers targeted male villagers aged between 50 and 80.<\/p>\n
The independent Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of
\nViolence (Kontras) said on Monday here at least 50 people were
\nkilled in Ciamis.<\/p>\n
But Togar said: \"Not all the victims in Ciamis were related to
\nthis case (of hired killers).\"<\/p>\n
West Java Military Commander Maj. Gen. Purwadi said Kontras
\nshould present their facts to the police.<\/p>\n
Asked about similarities with the Banyuwangi killing, Purwadi
\nsaid it would be premature to assume the same motives were
\ninvolved.<\/p>\n
\"Killings of black magic practitioners have taken place for
\nquite a long time, not only during this reform era,\" he said.
\n\"It's just that people now easily take the law into their own
\nhands.\"<\/p>\n
Purwadi also said it was too early to pin the killings to
\npolitical motives.<\/p>\n
A report on Monday said that one of the detained suspects
\nadmitted to the police to having been paid from Rp 50,000 to Rp
\n500,000 (about US$58) for the killings.<\/p>\n
Togar also discussed the approach used in the Ciamis killings.<\/p>\n
The killers first spread slander in the community about their
\ntargeted victims before kidnapping and killing them. They then
\ndisposed of the bodies.<\/p>\n
Togar said none of the people found were linked to any Muslim
\norganizations or parties, dismissing brewing speculation those
\nmurdered were loyalists of certain Muslim parties. (emf\/43\/aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-claim-ciamis-killings-have-black-magic-link-1447893297",
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