Jakarta criminal suspected in East Java murder spree

JAKARTA (JP): East Java Police chief Maj. Gen. M. Dayat has alleged the person behind the continuing murder spree in Malang regency, East Java, is a wanted criminal from Jakarta.

"We still don't know the motive but we're pretty sure that the provocateur is a man from Jakarta who has been in and out of jail three times and is currently at large," he said here on Saturday night.

Antara reports that eight people have died in four separate attacks in the regency since Dec. 9. The murders occurred in Pagak district, Ampelgading district, Kalipare and Sumbermanjing Wetan in South Malang.

The killings appear to emulate those of alleged black magic practitioners in Banyuwangi last year.

Without elaborating, Dayat said the murderers were paid Rp 3 million by the suspected mastermind from Jakarta.

When asked what preventive measures were being taken by police, Dayat said his men were doing their best, bearing in mind the size of the area that needs to be secured.

"After the three cases around Kalipare we deployed a company of police to the area, but then one occurred again Pagak," he said.

"You know its difficult for us because the distance between Kalipare and Pagak is about 30 kilometers in and out of forests".

He called on local communities to organize watches and not to be easily provoked, adding that he did not want to see a recurrence of the dreadful events which occurred in Banyuwangi.

"The incidents in Malang in my opinion are still purely criminal cases, not like those in Banyuwangi. We'll keep on investigating," he remarked.

Most of the victims are known to be farmers; one is a Koran teacher.

At least 73 people have been questioned in the case.

However, some of these were questioned because they were suspected of damaging a local police station after police tried to question suspects.

Meanwhile East Java Deputy Police Chief Brig. Gen Sudirman Ail said police have detained four suspects in connection with the murders.

He said another three were at large.

Ail said police are being assisted by 60 members of the security force from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim Organization to help maintain security and gather information.

Malang and Banyuwangi are NU strongholds, an organization which until recently was chaired by President Abdurrahman Wahid.

More than a hundred people were murdered in the Banyuwangi killing spree. Many of the victims were local Muslim preachers killed by mysterious groups.

The killings have never been fully solved. (jun)