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.