Irian shooting blamed on mental disorder
Irian shooting blamed on mental disorder
JAKARTA (JP): A special team investigating the shooting of 15
people by a special forces second lieutenant in an airport hangar
in Timika, Irian Jaya, has returned here with a preliminary
report indicating that the suspect had been suffering a mental
disorder.
Armed Forces general affairs chief Lt. Gen. Soeyono confirmed
yesterday the investigation team had returned Tuesday night and
delivered the report to him.
Soeyono said he later forwarded the report to Army Chief Gen.
Hartono, who is acting armed forces commander.
"The finding was delivered to the armed forces commander and
will be reported to the president this morning. The team found
out the suspect had a mental problem when he went on this
shooting spree," Soeyono said as quoted by Antara.
Eleven soldiers and four civilians, including a New Zealand
pilot, were killed when a second lieutenant from the army's
special forces (Kopassus) ran amok in a hangar in Timika on
Monday.
Official reports claim the second lieutenant sprayed the
hangar with bullets after being involved in an argument with a
fellow officer. The cause of the argument has not been revealed.
Soeyono said while the investigation team diagnosed the
culprit as suffering from mental illness, further input from
doctors and psychologists was needed for confirmation.
The investigating team was lead by the vice chief of the
military intelligence Maj. Gen. Achdari.
Meanwhile in Surabaya, East Java, Gen. Hartono said the second
lieutenant involved in the shooting had been suffering from
malaria.
"Up to now the indications are that the person involved did
this because he was suffering from malaria," he said.
Hartono is acting as the armed forces commander in the absence
of Gen. Feisal Tanjung who is away for the Haj pilgrimage.
As quoted by Antara, Hartono said it was common for people
stationed in places like East Timor and Irian Jaya to be prone to
shooting sprees.
"Those who have been in the field for a long time tend to be
like that. But the incident in Timika is regretful. Especially
with us, the military, being involved," he said.(mds)