Kuta arson suspect nabbed

DENPASAR, Bali: Police detectives arrested on Thursday a suspect in last week's arson attack on Kuta souvenir market which destroyed 512 kiosks.

The male suspect, identified only as Aw, 28, was arrested at around 00:20 a.m. at his rented house on Jl. Surapati in Kuta, Bali Police spokesman Lt. Col. Y. Suyatmo said.

During the questioning, the man confessed that he burned the market out of vengeance. He said he threw a burning cloth under one of the wooden kiosks.

"He was angry because the market management only sold the kiosks located in strategic places to rich vendors. One of the stall owners, Kusnadi, spotted him wandering around the compound shortly before the fire," Suyatmo said.

The total losses in the fire are estimated at Rp 5 billion. (zen/edt)