Death toll rises to 93 in attacks on sorcerers

Death toll rises to 93 in attacks on sorcerers

SURABAYA (JP): The death toll has risen to 93 in attacks by
mysterious groups of masked murderers on people suspected of
practicing "black magic" in East Java over the past two months,
police said on Friday.

"The number of victims may well increase since many people are
now reluctant to report (the attacks) for fear that they could be
the next victims," Besuki Police chief Col. Budi Utomo told
reporters.

As reported earlier, a frenzy of killings began in early
August in the regency of Banyuwangi, which falls under the
supervision of Besuki area, about 293 kilometers east of here.
The killings have taken place in almost all of the regency's 21
districts and have left residents terrified. A night curfew has
been imposed.

Police said the latest attack took place early on Friday.
Mulyono, 50, was found with a slit throat and a smashed skull.

Although in the beginning, the victims were exclusively those
accused by locals of dabbling in black magic, it has become
apparent that many of more recent victims were Moslem preachers.

Some of the victims were reportedly killed on their way home
from night prayers at local mosques.

On Wednesday, the spate of attacks spread to nearby
Probolinggo, where an angry mob numbering in the hundreds
attacked and burnt the houses of Sakri and Kartono -- both
accused of practicing black magic. The targets of the mob's wrath
escaped death by fleeing from their houses.

Residents said that since the incident, police and military
personnel have been deployed to guard Moslem preachers' houses
and a number of Islamic boarding schools.

East Java Police chief Maj. Gen. M. Dayat said here on Friday
that the police have shot dead one attacker and wounded three
more. At least 26 arrests have been made.

Police on Thursday also arrested three truckloads of people
reportedly on their way to Banyuwangi to force police into
releasing six suspects detained there since Wednesday.

He said earlier that preliminary results of the investigation
suggested that the suspects were ex-convicts and had been paid
between Rp 500,000 and Rp 2 million for each murder. He
speculated that the motive for the contracts had been personal
vengeance.

Meanwhile, the head of the Brawijaya Military Command, Maj.
Gen. Djoko Subroto, on Friday denied allegations that the
security forces had been slow to respond to the situation.

"We've not been slow. We're calculating the capability of our
men and (the threat from) residents," Djoko said, adding that
many police and military personnel had also been wounded by the
attackers.

He said troops were being sent from Jember and Besuki to
reinforce the Banyuwangi police. Military sources said that about
42 suspects had been arrested in Banyuwangi and Probolinggo.

Witnesses also said that flyers threatening people not to
prevent the killings have been circulating in Banyuwangi. The
flyers were printed by the so-called Gantung (Hang) group.

Witnesses said earlier that residents, youths belonging to the
Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization and police officers were
conducting nightly patrols.

They check all passing vehicles for killers and have
reportedly burned a number of cars which initially refused to
stop at their road blocks. (nur/byg)