Marines reveal findings of shootout
JAKARTA (JP): The marines disclosed on Tuesday that marine Chief Sgt. Aliman was armed without the permission of his superiors at the time he was shot dead by police earlier this month.
"The marines have discovered that marine Chief Sgt. Aliman was guilty of possessing a gun without the knowledge of the corps," marine intelligence assistant Col. Toto Arjanto told a media conference on Tuesday.
Toto said that as Aliman was a member of the corps, the marines were also responsible for helping to uncover the case.
Aliman was shot dead during a dramatic shootout at a grocery store located inside the Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor) building on Jl. Kramat Raya, Central Jakarta, earlier this month.
Two civilians, Silverster and Rustam, were also wounded in the exchange of fire.
GP Ansor is the youth wing of Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Muslim organization in the country.
The incident was initially handled by Central Jakarta Police, before the case was transferred to the city garrison.
The fracas occurred following a dispute over a debt.
Toto said the latest revelation was uncovered when marine intelligence questioned Ashadi, Aliman's older brother who is also Ansor chief for Demak, and Iswanto, NU auxiliary group (Banser) chief for Karang Tengah district in Demak, Central Java.
The two testified that GP Ansor deputy treasurer Aris Junaedi had promised Rp 10 million (US$1,000) to pay for the hotel bill of Papuan Presidium Council chairman Theys Hiyo Elluay who was staying at Wisata Hotel, Central Jakarta.
Aliman was apparently helping Theys gather "donations" for the bill.
Aliman had contacted Aris about the bill, after which the latter allegedly promised to hand over the money.
However a planned meeting never materialized.
Repeated attempts by Aliman to meet Aris also failed. Annoyed and frustrated, Aliman then threatened to burn Aris' house down if he failed to come up with the money.
The two then agreed to meet at the GP Ansor building.
Aliman asked Ashadi and Iswanto to accompany him to the meeting.
Toto said Ashadi claimed Aris showed up accompanied by two men -- Silverster and Rustam -- who then attacked Aliman, who in response fired his gun before fleeing into the street.
An alarmed policeman also fired shots.
Central Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Mathius Salempang said however, that forensic experts have yet to identify the bullets which killed Aliman.
"I don't know whether the bullets came from a police officer's gun or Aris' gun," he told journalists on Tuesday. (01)