Indonesian Army Soldier Named Suspect in Brimob Machete Attack in Banten

Corporal R, an Indonesian Army soldier serving with Kodim 0602/Serang, has been formally named a suspect and is currently detained at the Denpom III/4 Serang military prison in Banten. He is implicated in the mob attack and machete assault on two Brimob officers alongside a group of debt collectors, known locally as ‘mata elang’ (eagle eyes). Head of Public Relations for Kodam III/Siliwangi, Colonel Inf. Mahmuddin Abdillah, confirmed the soldier is suspected of acting as a protector for the debt collectors during the attack on the Banten Police Brimob members. The legal process is underway, and he remains in detention. Previously, four debt collectors were arrested, with six others still at large. The first two suspects, identified by the initials FN and YS, were caught shortly after the incident before they could enter the Serang Barat toll gate. Following a pursuit, Banten Police later arrested two more suspects, GB and MM, in the Tangerang area. On the night of the incident, the vehicle that the collectors intended to repossess was pelted with stones and beaten, and the driver was threatened by the ‘mata elang’. The group communicated using an application named PT Putra Putri, which contains data on vehicles with overdue lease payments, allowing them to coordinate and track targeted cars. The four arrested perpetrators are known to have played different roles at the scene, including throwing stones, issuing threats, committing extortion, and attempting to seize the victim’s vehicle. When the car belonging to the Banten Police Brimob personnel stopped, the debt collectors threatened them and demanded they hand over the vehicle. If they did not want it repossessed, they were told to hand over an unspecified amount of money, leading to a brawl. Upon learning that a colleague was being mobbed by more than a dozen collectors, a number of Brimob officers quickly arrived at the location and managed to capture two suspects, FN and YS, that same night. A circulating video showed Brimob personnel in full black tactical gear, some armed with long-barrelled firearms, escorting the two men into a vehicle. The police have issued a stern warning against vigilante activities and vehicle seizures on the road, particularly within the Banten Police jurisdiction, vowing to take firm action against any perpetrators.