Navy orders marine corps to verify Sunday shoot-out
Navy orders marine corps to verify Sunday shoot-out
JAKARTA (JP): Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Indroko Sastrowiryono
said on Monday he had ordered marine corps chief Maj. Gen. Harry
Triono to investigate a Sunday shoot-out in Senen, Central
Jakarta, which claimed the life of a marine.
"The marine who was shot was trying to settle some debts. I
have ordered the marine corps chief to verify what actually
happened there, and to take stern action," Indroko said following
a meeting with Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri at her
office in Central Jakarta on Monday.
"It was the marine's personal problem. The incident has
nothing to do with the marine corps as an institution," he added.
Marine corps Chief Sgt. Aliman was reportedly shot dead by a
Central Jakarta Police officer First Adj. Insp. Agus Sunardi,
who, along with two civilians, suffered gunshot wounds in the
dramatic Sunday fire exchange at a grocery store located in the
Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor) building on Jl. Kramat Raya,
Central Jakarta.
GP Ansor is the youth wing of the Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), the
largest Muslim organization in the country.
The incident was initially handled by the Central Jakarta
Police, before the case was transferred to the city garrison.
Sources in the Central Jakarta Police identified the civilians
as Rustam and Silvester.
The sources added that five people had been questioned as
witnesses in connection with the shoot-out.
They were identified as Iswanto, the NU auxiliary group
(Banser) chief for Karang Tengah district in Demak, Central Java;
Hadi Suryadi, a cashier at the minimarket; Saefuddin, the
assistant manager of the minimarket; Abdul Manan, a cleaner at
the GP Ansor office; and Robert, an eyewitness to the incident.
The source said the incident began when the Ansor chief for
Demak, Ashadi, and Iswanto took Aliman to meet with the Ansor
chief in Jakarta, Aris Junaidi, at 6 p.m. on Sunday.
The source said they wanted to meet with Aris to discuss hotel
bills, but the discussion soon turned violent.
Aliman then got two Banser members, Rustam and Silvester, who
were present in the Ansor office, to help calm the situation.
The source at the Central Jakarta Police confirmed that the
discussion was about paying bills at hotels in Central Jakarta.
"Several people allegedly stayed in hotels on Jl. Jaksa while
in Jakarta to take part in mass protests. So Iswanto, Ashadi and
Aliman expected Aris to pay the bills," a source said.
Separately, marine corps spokesman Lt. Col. Ibrahim Saddong
said Aliman had accompanied Iswanto and Ashadi to demand "payment
for hotel bills on Jl. Jaksa".
Denial
The secretary-general of the Ansor Youth Movement, Ahmad Niam
Salim, denied on Monday the organization was involved in any way
in the shoot-out.
"We have to make it clear that our organization is not related
at all with what happened. It was a personal problem which turned
into a crime," Ahmad said. He admitted, though, that Aliman was
Ashadi's brother.
Another police source said that inside the grocery store,
Aliman and Banser members Rustam and Silvester became involved in
a verbal quarrel.
"Suddenly, Aliman took out a gun and shot both Rustam and
Silvester, to the shock of everybody present. Someone immediately
called the police," the source said.
City police records state that Silvester was shot in the left
side of his head, in the chest and his left hand, while Rustam
was shot in the shoulder. Both are being treated at Saint Carolus
Hospital in Central Jakarta.
"The police call on Sunday was taken by First. Brig. Roni.
Roni arrived at the scene, saw Aliman and tried to speak with
Aliman, who was already outside the Ansor office. Aliman started
waving a gun in Roni's face ... Agus Sunardi happened to be
shopping in the area," the source said.
Agus, the source said, snuck behind Aliman and grabbed Aliman
around the neck, but Aliman was able to turn around and shoot
Agus twice, the source said. (ylt/dja/01)