Hundreds crowd alleged killer's home

MEDAN (JP): Hundreds of people yesterday surrounded the house of the shaman of Deli Serdang who allegedly killed up to 40 women.

Police are guarding the home in Aman Damai village, Sei Semayang, 16 kilometers from here, from the crowd which included relatives of missing young women.

People had come from as far as the neighboring district of Langkat to visit the house of Achmad Suradji, 45, alias Nasib Klewang or Datuk Maringgih.

A woman said yesterday that people had been too scared to ask Achmad about the disappearances of their young female relatives.

"If we provoked him he could do anything," one woman said.

Police have found 16 of the victims' bodies.

Early Saturday morning, police turned their search to a sugar plantation near Achmad's home. They searched 25 sites on the plantation in vain.

Police have said the suspect admitted killing about 40 women, and aimed to kill 30 more to become a better shaman.

Achmad and two of his three wives were arrested Wednesday.

Medan police chief Col. M.D. Primanto said the investigation and excavation of suspected burial sites would continue.

Some of the bodies had been buried with their hands tied and were semi-naked.

Achmad told police he strangled his victims before swallowing their saliva.

Neighbors said the shaman, though feared, often loaned his sound system to people organizing parties. (21/anr)