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)