Most detonators stolen in Kalimantan recovered

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.