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.