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Three suspected
robbers shot dead

JAKARTA (JP): Three suspected robbers were shot dead by police
in the wee hours of the morning yesterday.

They were identified as Ramin Rakujan, 29, a resident of
Cengkareng, West Jakarta, Nurjudin Rahmani, 22, a resident of
Tangerang, and Sulaiman, 23, a resident of Cipinang Utara, East
Jakarta.

The first two suspects were captured by local residents after
allegedly seizing a purse, containing Rp 5,000 (US$2.30) in cash
and a pair of fake earrings, from a 20-year-old, female college
student on Wednesday.

According to City Police spokesman, Lt. Col. A. Latief Rabar,
the two were taken out by officers of the Penjaringan police
subprecinct at 12:15 am yesterday. They were supposed to show the
officer the hiding place of Udin, their leader, at the Teluk Gong
area in North Jakarta.

"On way there, the two suspects tried to flee and the officers
fired two shots at each of them," Latief said.

The third victim, Sulaiman, died with three bullets in his
body when he failed to escape from the police guard in the
Cipinang Muara area. As in the other two shootings, he had been
taken by police to point out the hideout of one of his friends.

Apparently, the still handcuffed suspect attempted to fight
his way out of custody when he was slain. He was killed instantly
by when one of the three bullets struck him in the head.

"With his hands still handcuffed, he tried to attack the
police before he jumped out of the police patrol car," the
spokesman said. According to Latief, Sulaiman had been a jailed
for a number of offenses related to theft.

"Before shooting him, police fired several warning shots,"
Latief said. All of the suspects died at the scene.

Latief, however, denied that the killings were part of the so-
called Cleansing Operation, which is designed to combat crime in
the city. (bsr)