Joint team will visit Banyuwangi

Joint team will visit Banyuwangi

SURABAYA: An eight-member team of the central government
comprising representatives of the National Intelligence
Coordinating Agency (Bakin), Armed Forces Intelligence Agency
(BIA), National Police, Directorate General of Social and
Political Affairs and the legal bureau of the Ministry of Home
Affairs will start a two-day visit starting Friday to Banyuwangi,
East Java, Antara reported.

East Java Governor Imam Utomo said Tuesday the team will
further probe the unsolved Banyuwangi killing spree which has
claimed around 200 lives, many of them religious teachers.

Imam said there was not sufficient proof to link the
Banyuwangi regent to the brutal murders. Many residents and
groups have raised such charges leading to demands that the
regent, Col. Purnomo Sidik, step down.

The killing was allegedly sparked by the circulation of lists
of suspected black magic practitioners which were compiled by the
regent, who claimed instead that he aimed to protect those
identified. (edt)