11 Beteleme suspects go on trial, may face death

11 Beteleme suspects go on trial, may face death

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi

A prosecutor at Palu District Court indicted on Wednesday 11
people allegedly held responsible for a deadly, armed attack in
Beteleme village, Morowali regency, in October last year, which
left three people dead and at least 35 houses destroyed by fire.

Based on the 2003 Antiterrorism Law, if they were proven
guilty, they could be sentenced to death, said prosecutor Edi
Dikdaya in the first hearing of the trial, held in the Central
Sulawesi capital, Palu.

The 11-defendants were Zaenuddin, alias Tepang, 28, Abbas
Matuju, alias Salma, 42, Hendra Yadi bin Tajuddin, alias Hendra
Sukardi, 21, Rahmat bin Amaq Aminag, alias Mat, 31, Gufron bin
Amaq Hamdan, alias Guf, 28, Asnan Hadi, 23, Ardianto, alias Ato,
23, Safri Ambo Bakori, alias Aco Hamdan, 34, Arman, alias Iwan,
22, Hasyim alias Aci, 31, and Abid, alias David, 22.

In his indictment, the prosecutor accused the defendants of
alleged involvement in the deadly attack on Beteleme some five
hours' journey overland east of troubled Poso regency.

He told a court session that the attack began when they held a
gathering at the house of Husaini, a resident of Pawaru village,
Lembo district, Morowali regency, a few weeks before the attack.

The meeting was also attended by 10 other people, who were
still at large. The meeting, held at the end of September last
year, was led by Habib, alias Madong, who financed the attack. He
was shot dead by police while engaged in a gunfight against
police in a forest in Pawaru village, only two days after the
Beteleme attack on October 10.

At the September meeting, Madong divided the 21 people into
two groups; one comprised 15 people, while the remaining six
were in another group.

The meeting mainly discussed preparations for an attack on
residents in Beteleme village, whom, the participants of the
meeting alleged, had murdered Muslims in Poso in 2000. The
meeting participants also made up their minds to retaliate over
an arson attack on Wali Songo Islamic boarding school in Sintuwu
Lemba village, Lage district, Poso regency, the same year. The
group dispersed after the meeting, with agreement that they would
gather once again in Kolonodale, Morowali regency, on October 9
to confirm the plan.

In the second meeting, Madong again spelled out the plan and
allocated tasks to members of the group.

At the meeting, he handed over an M-16 rifle to Safri Ambo
Bakori, a rifle identified as a Stand Metzen to Gufron bin Amaq
Hamdan, a Thomson rifle to Hamdan and an SP/Monzer rifle to
Zainuddin.

Madong also assigned Hendra Yadi to lead other group members
to burn homes in Beteleme village. The prosecutor said that
Madong instructed the members in the meeting not to attack women
and children for ethical reasons.

The attack was immediately executed after the division of
tasks was made. The attack on October 10 left three people dead
and at least 35 homes destoryed by fire. The alleged perpetrators
also set fire to cars and motorcycles they found in the village.

The trial session was adjourned until April 28, when lawyers
for the defendants, under the group Poso Muslim Defenders'
Lawyers, are scheduled to present the case for the defense.

Bloody sectarian clashes rocked Poso regency in 2000 when some
2,000 Muslims and Christians were killed. Clashes largely
subsided last year after a government-sponsored peace pact in
2002, but deadly sporadic attacks have still occurred until
recently in the regency.