Ambon police find military bullet cases at shooting site

Oktovianis Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Ambon, Maluku

Police investigators have discovered standard military bullet cartridges at the site of a gunfight that claimed three lives on Sunday.

Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Soenarko Danu Ardiyanto said on Monday that 20 cartridges of various standard military bullets were found at Kulur beach, Saparua Island, Central Maluku almost immediately after the shooting.

The police, he said, discovered 7.1 millimeter caliber bullet cases from AK-47 rifles, 7.62 millimeter caliber cases from MK- 3s, 6.5 millimeter caliber cases from gerens, and 5.56 millimeter caliber cases from SS1s.

Soenarko, however, refused to speculate on the type of weapons used by the assailants.

"I don't want to draw any conclusions yet on the weapons used as it has to be investigated further even though the cartridges were of standard military issue," he said.

Three civilians, identified as Miftaul Ulung, 28, Fitria Litiloli, 11, and Fatimah Tuhulele, 10, were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Saparua, Central Maluku on Sunday, triggering a bloody reprisal that killed one driver in Ambon town.

The situation in Ambon town was relatively normal on Monday. A celebration of National Sports Day, which falls on Sept. 9, was organized at both the Maluku Municipality Office and the Maluku Governor's Office.

"Up until today, no one has been detained in relation to the shooting," said Soenarko, adding that the police were still hunting the culprits.

Soenarko said the shooting took place just 400 meters from a security post where the Mobile Brigade police personnel were stationed.

"Upon hearing the shooting, Mobile Brigade members, assisted by local people, went there immediately but could not arrest the assailants since they had fled into the surrounding forest," he said.

Two explosions also rocked Ambon late Sunday but no damage or casualties were reported.

In Jakarta, defense minister Matori Abdul Djalil said that the situation in Ambon did not warrant the deployment of more troops.

"Security issues in conflict-torn areas, including Ambon, can be handled by existing personnel," Matori was quoted by Antara as saying on Monday.

Ambon is still reeling from a bloody bombing on Sept. 5 which left four people dead, including three high school girls, and seven injured.

The Maluku islands, of which Ambon is the main city, have been the scene of fighting between Muslims and Christians which has left close to 10,000 dead since conflict broke out in January 1999.

The latest violence could further undermine the fragile pact signed in February.

Ambon has seen intermittent violence since the peace pact was signed. At least 54 people were injured when homemade bombs exploded at an Ambon market on July 27.

Many have said that soldiers and police are taking sides in the conflict.

A state of civil emergency is in effect as part of efforts to halt the violence.