Nine more police, military officers arrested in Ambon

AMBON, Maluku (JP): After arresting five police and military officers a day before, Ambon joint security forces on Tuesday arrested nine more police and military officers in connection with recent bloody incidents which have claimed more than 10 fatalities.

In addition, the security forces also apprehended two men in possession of two homemade bombs at the Maluku gubernatorial compound on Jl. Pattimura here on Tuesday.

Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Firman Gani said that among the nine officers were a policewoman and a military officer.

"The nine are all active members of the Maluku Police and the Pattimura Military Command, most of them having the rank of sergeant," Firman said.

The nine were declared suspects following the arrest of five of their fellow officers on Monday who were suspected of taking part in a mob attack on a security post on the border between the Batu Merah - Mardika areas, near the Manise Hotel in downtown Ambon.

At the time of the arrests at 5 a.m. Monday, the joint security forces -- drawn from three special forces units, namely the Navy's Marines, Air Force's Paskhas and Army's Kopassus -- were engaged in repelling raiders during an exchange of fire which started late on Sunday night and lasted until Monday morning.

The mob had been angered by the deaths of several of their friends at the hands of the security forces.

The disturbance killed at least 10 people and injured 19 others.

Monday's arrests constituted the first concrete action taken against allegedly mutinous military/police personnel.

The five middle-ranking officers were identified as Adj. Sr. Comr. J. Saragih and Maj. Nurdin Nontji of the Pattimura Military Command, and three members of the Maluku Police, Comr. Ricky Paays, Second Insp. Syaifuddin Amsa and one officer whose name was given only as Second Insp. A.

Firman also warned all those involved in riots and sniping to desist, otherwise firm action would be taken.

"Their maneuvers have been clearly detected. The joint security forces will confront them.

"As for the legal process, since the police have been separate from the military since July of last year, the probe will be handled by the military police pending further legal arrangements (for the police officers)," Firman said.

Police later identified the two men who brought bombs into the gubernatorial compound on Tuesday as Kasim and Udin.

"They were caught red-handed with bombs in their trouser pockets. They said the bombs -- which were about as big as a fist -- were to be sold to their relatives," Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) Second Brig. Adi Saari said.

In Jakarta, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is set to send a team of 31 paramedics from the ministry, as well as from the Navy and the Police to Maluku and North Maluku on Wednesday, minister Achmad Sujudi said on Tuesday.

"Twenty paramedics will be deployed in Maluku, while the rest will be sent to North Maluku," Sujudi said.

Back in the Ambon, the capital of Maluku province, an investigation team into last year's Kesui case departed on Tuesday morning led by Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina.

The team is investigating the case of a group of Christian residents who were forced to convert to Islam.

Kesui is located on the island of East Seram in Central Maluku regency, about 300 kilometers east of Ambon or two days travel by boat. The team is being assisted by a military battalion and a navy battleship. (49/edt)