'No political motives' in Malang killings

SURABAYA, East Java (JP): Chief of Brawijaya Military Command Maj. Gen. Sudi Silalahi denied on Wednesday there were political motives behind the recent killing spree in Malang, East Java.

"They were spontaneous actions, and we have not yet found any indications of political motives," Silalahi said.

He dismissed allegations the security forces were too slow in dealing with the murders, saying they had tried to prevent the incidents from spreading about the town.

"Since the beginning we have been on alert. We learnt from the Banyuwangi killings," he said, referring to the string of murders in the province's eastern tip last year.

Six people have been killed over the past two weeks by unknown murderers in Malang, some 90 kms south of Surabaya.

The most recent victim was a Koran teacher named Munakib. He was killed last Thursday by a group of masked men in ninja outfits at his house in the village of Pitrang.

Chief of Malang Police Lt. Col. Harry Prastowo earlier said the killings might have a similar motive to those that took place in Banyuwangi.

The killings in Bayuwangi, some 290 kms southwest of Surabaya, began in September last year. At least 150 people were killed in six regencies. The killers, mostly ninja-garbed, initially targeted people suspected of practicing black magic, however, Muslim preachers and teachers later became victims.

Prastowo said 21 people had been arrested for their alleged involvement in the Malang killings.

Prastowo told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday three of the detainees were strongly suspected as being the instigators of the crimes. He identified them as Muksar, Mohirirun and Martono, from Pohjejer, Krajan and Pitrang villages respectively in the district of Kalipare.

Prastowo said the other 18 suspects claimed to know nothing about the reasons behind the killings. "They simply received an order and were paid between Rp 100,000 and Rp 1 million," he said.

The police have identified more suspects and are hunting them down, according to Prastowo.

He quoted the three alleged provocateurs as saying that they were proud that people were killed in a sadistic way. "They insist that the victims were all black magic practitioners, unwanted by many people. We found lists of future targets in their pockets," Prastowo said.

Meanwhile, East Java Governor Imam Utomo said he had instructed all regents, especially those which are vulnerable to crimes -- including Banyuwangi, Situbondo, Jember, Bondowoso, Lumajang and Pasuruan -- to raise the alert level following the murder spree.

Imam did not rule out speculation that the Malang violence was linked with the Banyuwangi incidents. Imam shared Silalahi's view that there were no political motives behind the latest series of murders here. (nur/sur)