121 suspects in Maluku unrest

AMBON, South Maluku: Police have completed the dossiers on 121 people suspected of provoking riots in several areas of the province.

"All the dossiers, along with evidence, have been submitted to the prosecutor's office, and some of them have already been submitted to the courts," Central Maluku Police chief Lt. Col. Benny B van Bulow said on Monday.

He said 41 of the suspects were involved in the West Seram riot on Jan. 19; 24 in the Kairatu clash on Feb. 3; 20 in the clash in Amahai on April 9; 26 in the Banda conflict on April 20; and the remaining 10 suspects were involved in the West Seram unrest on Aug. 18.

Hundred of people in Maluku have been killed since sectarian clashes first broke out in the province in January.

Benny also said the military and police seized 32 homemade guns and hundreds of bottles of liquor in a series of raids on residential areas in Central Maluku.

The joint military-police team also seized hundreds of bullets, explosives, sharp weapons, more than 1,000 arrows, some 100 slingshots and nine pairs of military fatigues, Benny said.

"Seventy people were arrested for making homemade guns and bombs. Their dossiers have been submitted to the district court," he said. (48/sur)