Man arrested with bullets at soccer match

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)