Amien alleges Soeharto role in Java murder spree

Amien alleges Soeharto role in Java murder spree

JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Indonesian Mandate Party (PAN)
Amien Rais alleged on Thursday that former president Soeharto was
involved in the killings of almost 200 Moslem preachers and
people accused of practicing black magic in a wave of murders
that has swept Java.

Acknowledging that he did not have enough proof to support his
claim, Amien suggested that Soeharto's motive was to divert
people's anger away from him and his cronies.

"It is very difficult to find proof, but I think I am not far
from the truth in saying that Soeharto's hands are behind the
killings," Amien told members of the Jakarta Foreign
Correspondents Club.

"Soeharto's cronies and loyalists still want to fight back.
They don't want reform and they want to distract attention from
(the probe into) the family's wealth," he said.

The former chairman of the powerful Islamic Muhammadiyah
organization pointed out that several suspected killers had
admitted they were deserters from the Army's Special Force
(Kopassus).

Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, Soeharto's second son-in-law, is a
former commander of the elite unit. A government-sponsored fact
finding team on Tuesday suggested that Prabowo may have been
involved in organizing the May riots.

Prabowo's brother, tycoon Hashim S. Djojohadikusomo, said on
Wednesday that the accusation was part of a systematic attempt to
discredit the former Kopassus commander.

"They have been very successful, now everyone is obsessed with
'ninjas'," Amien remarked, referring to the alleged killers who
reportedly wore dark clothing and masks in the fashion of
Japanese assassins.

Amien said that even Nazi executioners would be frightened by
the brutal slaughter that has been going on for the past three
months and said the murders were barbarian and cold-blooded.

Thousands of villagers in Kuningan, West Java, ransacked a
police station and injured seven police officers after being
denied access to four alleged "ninja" killers they were intent on
lynching. Police had to fire rubber bullets and tear gas to
disperse the mob.

From Cilacap, Central Java it was reported that the local
police precinct chief Lt. Col. Andi Lolo promised a reward of Rp
100,000 (US$12.5) to anyone who can capture a "ninja".

"If a person brings in five 'ninjas', they will receive Rp
500,000 provided the suspects have not been beaten," Andi said in
a meeting with hundreds of ulemas here on Thursday.

Separately, the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) deplored
that many mentally handicapped people had become innocent victims
of angry mobs that suspected them of being "ninja killers".

"The rights and dignity of the mentally-ill are guaranteed by
the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights," the
association said in statement released on Thursday.

Meanwhile, two of 45 people arrested by Bangkalan police in
East Java on suspicion of killing three detectives died early on
Thursday, only one day after being taken into police custody.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar named
the two as Munayah, 45, a resident of Daleman village and Suri,
35, a resident of Telok village. Both died in a local hospital.

"Munayah died of severe wounds he suffered during the
commotion. He was most likely hit by fellow residents. Suri died
of an illness he was suffering from before his arrest," Togar
said on Thursday.

A mob of villagers attacked and killed three police detectives
who were chasing a criminal, identified as Musa, after the latter
shouted "ninja killers" at the officers.

The three detectives who died were Second Sgt. Yunus A.
Parembong, Second Sgt. Hadiri and Second Sgt. M. Dahlan.

Two other detectives escaped unharmed. Police made the arrests
on the day after the detectives were killed. (prb/emf/45)