Pakistanis arrested for possession of 12 bombs

Pakistanis arrested for possession of 12 bombs

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

A Pakistani citizen was arrested by police in Sorong, Papua, for
the possession of 12 hand-made bombs, 1,650 arrows, and a large
number of slingshots.

And police in Masohi, Central Maluku, have deported four
Pakistanis for immigration documents, in relation to giving
Muslim sermons, which authorities say could reignite the bloody
civil war.

The chief of Papua Provincial Police Insp. Gen. Budi Utomo
said in Jayapura on Monday that M. Choya, owner of expedition
company PT Prima Tirta, was arrested Monday in connection with
the seizure of the weapons from a company warehouse last week.

He said Choya and his employee, Sukisman, were still
undergoing intensive interrogation. Police did not rule out
further arrests.

He said the suspects had claimed that since 1999 they had
stored the weapons for self-defense purposes, in line with the
tense situation in the province.

"We have sent the explosives to the forensic laboratory in
Makassar, South Sulawesi, to determine their power," he said,
adding the case would be thoroughly investigated to determine if
there were any links to conflicts in Indonesia, including in Poso
in Sulawesi and Ambon in the Malukus.

Papua governor Jaap Salossa said he had instructed security
authorities to stay alert for disturbances amidst the controversy
on the formation of two new provinces.

"Besides, security authorities have been asked to detect the
possible entrance of certain sides who are trying to create a new
(sectarian) conflict in the province. We should learn from
Maluku."

Maluku's acting governor Sinyo P. Sarundayang said in Ambon on
Monday that he had instructed police to investigate foreigners
and their activities to maintain peace following three years of
war.

"The four Pakistani citizens were deported after they were
found doing activities without any permission from authorities.
They were also preaching in villages, an activity that could
ignite the sectarian conflict," he said.