8 suspects named in Loki attack

8 suspects named in Loki attack

AMBON, Maluku: The Maluku Police investigators have completed
a probe into the recent attack on a Police Mobile Brigade post in
Loki, about 50 kilometers north of Ambon, which left seven people
dead.

Esly Demas, of the Maluku provincial prosecutor's office, said
on Wednesday that the police had reported the progress and named
eight people as suspects, one of whom was killed during the
nighttime raid on the predominantly Christian village.

"Since the case is of national importance, the Maluku
prosecutor's office has little control over it from here, as it
will be handed over to the Attorney General's office (in
Jakarta)," Esly explained, while adding that the Maluku
prosecutors had set up a team to look into the attack.

He also accused the suspects of being involved in a spate of
similar terror acts, such as the shootings at Wamkana village on
neighboring Buru island last May, in which three were killed and
four were wounded.

He also suggested that the same cell could have been in on the
sniper attack against a ferry boat on Feb. 7 this year off Buru
island, which left two people injured, as well as the bloody raid
at the Kafe Vila in Hative Besar village on Feb. 14 that left two
people dead. -- JP