Beteleme suspects to stand trial

Beteleme suspects to stand trial

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi

Central Sulawesi Police completed on Monday the dossiers on 16
suspects allegedly involved in a deadly attack on Beteleme
subdistrict, Morowali regency, last year.

The dossiers were then handed over on the same day to the
Central Sulawesi High Prosecutor's Office in order that the
office could process the dossiers immediately and take the case
to court.

Chief of Central Sulawesi police detectives Sr. Comr. Tatang
Somantri said that the suspects were being charged with various
violations of the law, depending on their role in the attack.

The charges were, among others, violating terrorism law,
murder, assault, vandalism and possessing weapons without a
permit.

He said that the suspects attacked Beteleme, populated mostly
by Christians, on Oct. 9 last year.

The attack claimed three lives and left two other people
severely injured. At least 39 dwellings were also burned in the
night attack. Besides burning the houses, the suspects also shot
at residents trying to escape the attack.

Besides arresting the 16 suspects, the police also killed
three others. They were Ali Lasawedi, 30, Romo, 29 and Madong,
31. The last suspect is known to be the leader of the Muslim
gang. They come from three different regencies, namely Tojo Una-
Una, Poso and Morowali.

Vengeance is apparently the motive behind the attack.

Beteleme subdistrict, which became the target of the attack,
is the hometown of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus Da Silva and Marinus
Riwu, three Christians already sentenced to death for their role
in a bloody sectarian conflict in Poso in 2000.

Fabianus was the leader of the Christian "Red Group" gang that
murdered hundreds of Muslims in the sectarian conflict in the
religiously divided town of Poso in 2000.

More than 4,000 homes were damaged during the conflict. It
also claimed the lives of more than 2,000 Muslims and Christians
in the regency.