Mob slays alleged shaman

CILACAP, Central Java: A crowd beat Karmiat, 70, a resident of Cisalak village in Cimanggu district here, to death on Tuesday night for allegedly practicing black magic.

Witnesses said some 100 people broke into Karmiat's house at about 10 p.m. and dragged him outside before killing the old man.

Karmiat's son Suradi told the police another black magic practitioner, Sukriyo, joined the mob in an effort to deflect attention from him. Suradi said Sukriyo let the crowd beat his father.

Banyumas Police chief Col. Carel Rissakota regretted the incident which brought the death toll in mob attacks on alleged black magic practitioners to 13 in the past three months.

He said 32 people were questioned in the various cases.

"Our preliminary investigation shows this is a case of competition and revenge between shamans," Carel said. (45/edt)