Most detonators stolen in Kalimantan recovered

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Most of the estimated 5,796 electric detonators, which had been stolen early this month from a mining company warehouse in Central Kalimantan, were recovered on Friday, said police and military officials.

They said a team from the Panjung Panjung 102 military command overseeing security in the province found at least 5,593 of the missing explosives in a suburban area near the provincial capital of Palangka Raya.

The team, led directly by local military commander Col. Syarifuddin, continued searching on Friday for the remainder of the detonators that disappeared from the warehouse of Palangkaraya-based mining company PT Hansur Jaya Utama (HJU), Antara reported.

It said the explosives wrapped in three sacks had initially been discovered at 10 a.m. by children playing by a canal on Jl. Panenga Raya KM 8 in Sebangau subdistrict.

The finding was later reported to the local military office.

Palangka Raya Police confirmed the recovery of most of the electric detonators that had disappeared on Jan. 1 from the mining company located on Jl. Tjilik Riwut in Bukit Batu subdistrict.

It was not clear if arrests were made in connection with the disappearance of the explosives, including 5,390 sticks of dynamite.

Earlier, Central Kalimantan Governor Asmawi A Gani had said that three parties should be blamed for the loss of the electric detonators.

"(They are) the company that owns the detonators, the company's security unit and the police. Or, possibly only one of them," said Asmawi.

The loss of the detonators had caused concern among local authorities because the explosives could have been smuggled out of Central Kalimantan province and be used nationwide in terrorist bomb attacks.

Following the reports on the loss of the explosives, the Central Kalimantan Police tightened security at the borders.

National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Soenarko had said the Central Kalimantan Police chief had informed all other provincial police chiefs to anticipate the smuggling of the detonators.

Soenarko added that the police were investigating the case by questioning the people from the company and the police personnel in charge.

Central Kalimantan Police spokesperson Adj. Sr. Comr. Husni Rifai said the investigation involved a team led by one-star general from the National Police headquarters in Jakarta.