Man arrested with bullets at soccer match

JAKARTA (JP): A man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly attempting to bring 100 .22 caliber bullets into the stadium hosting the Indonesian soccer league playoffs, a police officer said.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said on Friday that the suspect was identified as Suyono, 27, from Jati village in Rembang, Central Java.

Suyono was arrested as he was about to enter Senayan stadium before a match between Jakarta's Pelita Bakrie and PSM Ujungpandang.

"Based on standard procedure, our officers usually search spectators for harmful objects, ranging from sharp weapons, stones and bottled drinks, before spectators enter the venue," Lubis said.

"Suyono was arrested because he had no reason for possessing the bullets," Lubis said, adding the bullets were found in the suspect's bag.

The bullets, which are usually used in air rifles, were confiscated as evidence.

Suyono is being detained at city police headquarters as police continue to build a case against the suspect.

"So far police still are in the dark about the suspect's motive," Lubis said.

Without a rifle the bullets were unlikely to be used, but police are suspicious as to why the man brought the bullets to the soccer match, Lubis said.

Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman earlier warned that irresponsible groups or people were expected to try to use the soccer matches, which would attract national interest, for their own purposes.

He said that certain groups were targeting hooligans, locally known as bonek, who were easily agitated to violence.

Police have imposed tight security to safeguard the matches, which kicked off on Tuesday.

City police deployed 6,000 personnel at Senayan stadium and the surrounding areas. An additional 4,000 officers were deployed on Wednesday as reinforcements. (emf)