Number of foreigners arrested up in 1999

Number of foreigners arrested up in 1999

JAKARTA (JP): Ninety-six foreigners were arrested last year
for various crimes ranging from robberies, drug-related
incidences, overstays, violence, murder, rape, possession of
weapons, prison escapes and kidnapping, an officer of the police
information unit said.

"There were only 70 foreigners netted in 1998. The hike in
criminal activities by foreigners is probably due to an increase
in drug and gun-related crimes," Col. Saleh Saaf said on
Thursday.

Last year started with an attempted armed robbery by Senegal
national Tony Z. Bedford, 26, who snatched a gun from a security
guard of the Plaza Indonesia branch of Bank International
Indonesia (BII), in Central Jakarta, and attempted to hold up the
bank customers on Jan. 12.

Korean national Lee Kui Po, 44, was arrested on Feb. 5 for
alleged possession of a Black Guardian revolver without a permit
in Bandung, West Java.

Six days later, Thai national Prayong Dokman, 28, killed
another Thai citizen, identified as Chariya Phenggharon, in Irian
Jaya.

Three Pakistanis identified as Malik Ishtiaq, 18, Ajar Ahmad,
29, and Mahmeed Saleh, 22, were arrested on Feb. 18 for suspicion
of theft at a branch of telephone company PT Indosat on Jl.
Tembaga in Surabaya, East Java.

Riau Police arrested on April 8 two reporters of the British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) London, identified as Anthony
Howson, 43, and Michael Harrison, 53, for allegedly using tourist
visas and reportedly giving basic journalism training at Hotel
Indrapura, Riau, to a private radio service on how to cover and
broadcast the general election.

Six Bangladeshis, identified as Shafiqul Islam, Ataullah
Akanda, Abdul Hanif, Fazlur Rahman, Abdul Gofran and Gias Uddin
Ahmed, were arrested on April 17 over fiery and provocative
speeches at the Nurul Huda mosque in Kendari, Central Sulawesi.

Korean national Li Don Owoo, 40, was arrested for allegedly
threatening the life of an Indonesian citizen, Johan, 26, with an
electric baton at the Ngurah Rai Bypass in Denpasar, Bali.

Riau Police arrested Singaporean national Ng See Sing, 38, for
allegedly severely beating an Indonesian citizen, named Natalia,
at the Ginkey restaurant in Batam.

British national Virginia Catherina, 22, was arrested on June
12 for allegedly stealing from Tunisian national Renigarmier at
the Artawan Hotel in Bali.

Five days later, Bali Police arrested Australian national
Hetty Veriome, 69, who allegedly stole from and beat a British
citizen, David G. Pasman, on Jl. Segera Waru in Denpasar.

Badung Police officers in Bali arrested on Sept. 26 Brazilian
national Carlos Robert, for an alleged rape of a woman he
reportedly threatened at knifepoint.

Riau Police arrested on Oct. 18 Singaporean national Chew Lian
Hoee, for the alleged distribution of fake Malaysian Ringgit
notes.

Jakarta Police arrested Korean national Yun Won Hee on Nov. 11
on charges of alleged kidnapping and demanding a ransom of Rp 100
million (US$13,400).

French national Betancort Arno and Danish national Neis
Nielson, both convicted drug dealers, were charged on Dec. 5 with
escaping from the II A division of the Kerobokan Kuta
penitentiary in Bali. (ylt)