Nine more police, military officers arrested in Ambon
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)
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)