Sat, 04 Aug 2001

JAKARTA (JP): Three victims of Wednesday's bombing at Atrium Plaza, Senen, Central Jakarta, who were earlier treated at the Army's Gatot Subroto Hospital, have been moved to Kramat Jati Police Hospital, East Jakarta, a police official said on Friday.

City police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Adang Rochyana said that the move was made to speed up the police investigation of the case.

"The three are key witnesses in the bombing," Adang told reporters, adding that one of the witnesses might become a suspect on the case.

He said the three witnesses are Suryadi, a resident of Bengkulu province, Dodi of Kebagusan Kecil, South Jakarta and Drajat of Cipinang Asem, East Jakarta.

Police sources said the investigation might lead to the involvement of Dodi whose right leg was amputated because of the blast.

The blast, which rocked the six-story plaza, injured at least six people.

Meanwhile, the plaza resumed operations on Friday after being closed on Thursday due to a police forensic investigation.

A McDonald's employee on the first floor of the plaza said many visitors had come to the restaurant.(jun)

;JP;01; ANPAj..r.. Robbery-suspects-mobbing Two robbers mobbed to death JP/3/ROBBER

TANGERANG (JP): Two suspects from a group of three that had allegedly robbed two public minivan passengers were beaten to death by angry residents on Jl. Thamrin, Penunggangan Utara subdistrict, late on Thursday.

The third managed to escape being lynched.

Curug subprecinct police chief Adj. Comr. Syamsu said the dead suspects were Amir Talaoha, 42, a resident of Kelapa village, Kelapa Indah subdistrict, Tangerang, and Muksin Edi, 25, a resident of Kampung Melayu, Jatinegara, East Jakarta.

Two minivan passengers, Ester, 26, and Sarah, 24, told the police they boarded the vehicle plying the Lippo Karawaci - Cikokol route at 7:30 p.m., at Lippo Supermal.

As the minivan arrived at Jl. Gading Serpong, three unidentified men stopped the vehicle and got into it, Syamsu said.

He said that only a hundred meters further down the road, one of the three men held up the driver with a knive and ordered him to keep driving, while the other men told the passengers to hand over their valuables.

After taking the victims' belongings, including wallets and jewelry, the three men got out.

Ester and Sarah were brave enough to shout 'thieves!' at the three men as they tried to escape. Dozens of people managed to chase and surround Amir and Muksin, while the other man, who is still unidentified, fled the scene.

The angry people immediately began beating up the two robbers with whatever objects they could find, causing the death of the two men at the crime scene.

Some residents were about to incinerate the bodies when police officers arrived; they subsequently dispatched the bodies to Tangerang General Hospital morgue.(41)