72 held for criminal acts after Semanggi incident

JAKARTA (JP): Police thus far have detained 72 people for looting, extortion and attacking security officers following the recent clashes and mayhem, a police official said on Saturday.

City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. Edward Aritonang vowed to bring all of the suspects to court immediately.

"We will process all cases according to the law," Aritonang said.

The suspects, he said, were arrested during the Black Friday incident and the Nov. 14 violence.

Last Monday, he revealed that the police had arrested 43 people, mostly charged with looting three banks in West Jakarta during the Saturday disorder.

Two of the newly arrested suspects were accused of attempting to pelt stones at police officers guarding the Jakarta Police headquarters on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta.

Aritonang said the men were caught red-handed during Black Friday with stones in their hands while hundreds of student protesters and people pushed each other in an attempt to break through the police barricade.

Six others, he said, were arrested for looting at the Carrefour shopping center in Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta and two more were arrested for looting at the Senen shopping center also in Central Jakarta the next day.

"Most of the looters admitted to having committed the crimes while following their friends. The number of suspects will probably go up further based on the tip-offs from the detainees," the officer explained.

A man was busted for extorting money from motorists in the Jatinegara area and the police had confiscated Rp 275,000 in cash and a gold bracelet from him, he said.

On Friday, Governor Sutiyoso asked the police and other related institutions to quickly open the trial of the suspects in order to teach a lesson to others. (jun)