Angry crowd siege police after death of terror suspect

Angry crowd siege police after death of terror suspect

Irvan NR, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi

Poso Police headquarters was besieged on Sunday by thousands of
people protesting the death of terrorist suspect Hamid Sudin, who
was shot and killed by police attempting to arrest him in
relation to the bloody attacks on three Christian villages in
Central Sulawesi on Oct. 12.

The protesters from coastal areas of Poso, Central Sulawesi
province began picketing outside police headquarter in Poso town
on Jl. Pulau Sumatra at midday. The crowd quickly grew as local
residents joined in.

The situation deteriorated during the afternoon and security
personnel moved in to disperse the crowed by force about 5 p.m.
local time.

Police said Hamid, 22, was shot and killed on Saturday when he
attempted to attack police.

His two companions, identified as Zukri and Irwan bin Rais,
surrendered to police without a fight. Zukri was reportedly
released on Saturday evening.

The raid was carried out after a tip off from local residents
who had heard gunfire.

When police arrived at the scene, they saw three armed men.
Police ordered them to surrender but Hamid allegedly attempted to
attack security personnel. He was immediately shot in the chest.

Hamid was rushed to Undata General hospital in Palu but was
pronounced death shortly after arrival. His family buried him at
around 01:00 p.m. local time Sunday.

Police also found evidence at the scene of the shooting,
including a gun, an air rifle, a green beret, one black-sack
filled with cables and several rounds of ammunition.

Police said the three were wanted in connection with the Oct.
12 attacks in Poso regency and neighboring Morowali regency.

At least 10 people were killed in the attacks the government
has linked to regional terrorist network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).

JI has been blamed for the Bali blasts last Oct. 12, 2002 and
the JW Marriott Hotel attack on Oct. 5, 2003. At least 202 people
were killed in the Bali bombings and 12 in the JW Marriot attack.

Authorities say JI is tied to al-Qaeda, an international
terrorist network of Osama bin Laden, the principal suspect of
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington that killed
more than 3,000 people.

Meanwhile, security personnel prevented residents of Tentena
from entering Poso on Sunday.

The residents were on their way to Poso to seek clarification
of the deaths of Central Sulawesi's Christian Church (GKST)
treasurer Yuhanis Tajoja, 60, and his driver Buce, whose bodies
were found near Pesisir Poso on Sunday.

Police are yet to comment on the deaths.

The two bodies were evacuated to Poso General Hospital before
being moved to Palu, according one of the volunteers. Thus far,
police are yet to give comments about the deaths.

People from Poso and Tentena were involved in the prolonged
sectarian conflict that erupted in the regency in 2000 and
claimed about 2,000 lives over two years.

The government brokered the Malino peace deal in December
2001, but sporadic bloodshed continued. The situation is again
beginning to deteriorate between Muslims and Christians.