Masked men slay 83 in attacks on 'black magic'

SURABAYA (JP): A mysterious band of masked men has reportedly killed at least 83 people in the past two months in East Java. The first victims were said to be suspected practitioners of "black magic", but the toll has also included religious teachers and leaders.

Police said the murders were almost daily occurrences since August in the regency of Banyuwangi, about 293 kilometers east of here.

They have occurred in nearly all of the 21 districts and terrified residents have been forced to impose a night curfew.

In the latest attack, five villagers accused of dabbling in black magic were murdered on Wednesday night. The killers reportedly used a packed minivan and wore ninja-like black clothing and masks.

In several attacks, the killers have reportedly made people take part in the murder of their neighbors.

East Java Police chief Maj. Gen. M. Dayat told reporters on Thursday morning that at least six suspects had been arrested and identified the motive of the killings as personal vengeance.

Preliminary results of the police investigation found the suspects were ex-convicts who were paid from Rp 500,000 (US$50) to Rp 2 million per victim.

He did not state whether the suspects had informed police of who hired them for the killings.

Witnesses reported the attackers used sharp weapons including knives, sickles and swords.

But one witness, Ahmad Ghozali, said the killers seemed to be indiscriminate in targeting victims.

He said his uncle, Nawawi, was killed although he was a devout Moslem teacher and not a black magic shaman. Nawawi was attacked shortly after he finished reciting the tahajud (midnight) prayer at his home.

Other victims were Moslem preachers killed on their way home after saying night prayers at the mosques.

Witnesses said the killers were savage and callously discarded bodies on the street.

Banyuwangi Regent Purnomo Sidik has lamented the alleged participation of local people in the murders.

He said locals had flocked to the police station to demand the release of suspects in the killings.

"If we did not immediately release the suspects, the people threatened to burn down the police station."

Fear and the imposition of the curfew have made Banyuwangi into a ghost town at night.

Many schools in the town and a number of nearby districts have been temporarily closed.

Witnesses said residents, youths from the Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization and police officers were conducting night patrols.

They check on all passing vehicles for the presence of the killers. (nur/byg)