Laskar Jihad members face trials

SURABAYA: Surabaya police have completed investigations into 45 extremist Muslim activists charged with launching violent raids on gambling dens in the East Java town of Ngawi.

Under tight police escort, the suspects from the militant Laskar Jihad group were sent back to Ngawi by bus on Wednesday to face trials there.

At the same time, the police also handed over its completed investigation dossiers to the Ngawi attorney's office.

"The 45 people will be detained at the Ngawi attorney's office until after the court proceedings," East Java police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Said Harunantyo said in Surabaya.

The suspects were among 102 Laskar Jihad members arrested in November for allegedly taking the law into their own hands when illegally raiding gambling dens in the town.

The dossiers of another four suspects have already been handed to Ngawi prosecutors, while the remaining 53 militants have been released. --JP