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)