Palu motorists searched for weapons

Ruslan Sangadji, Palu

The Central Sulawesi Police intensified their search on Monday for the killers of prosecutor Ferry Silalahi, carrying out an arms sweep at a number of entry points to the provincial capital of Palu.

All motorists traveling to and from the city were stopped and their vehicles searched for firearms and sharp weapons. The authorities also checked the motorists' identity cards and vehicle documents.

The sweep began on Sunday night and will continue for several days, Central Sulawesi Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Sugianto said.

He said police and intelligence officers had been deployed across the province to locate those responsible for Wednesday's murder of Ferry, who had successfully prosecuted several terrorism cases in Palu.

A six-member team from the National Police Headquarters has arrived in Central Sulawesi to help in the search for the killers, he said.

Agus said the team had been assigned to help identify two suspects whose sketches were distributed around Central Sulawesi on Saturday.

"The team is in Palu and ready to assist the team set up by the Central Sulawesi Police," he said.

Agus said the police had received several clues in the shooting since the suspects' sketches were distributed.

The police believe the suspects are still in Central Sulawesi, Agus said, adding that security officers have identified several possible hideouts that they are investigating.

"Should we announce (the locations of the hideouts) publicly, the suspects would move somewhere else and it would hinder the search for them," he said.

Agus said the killers were thought to be well-trained professionals, but could not say whether they were from Central Sulawesi or came from outside the province.

Ferry was gunned down as he and his wife, Yulia, who was not injured in the attack, were leaving a house after attending an evening church service on Wednesday night. Yulia said her husband was shot dead in his car by four men who had long hair and dark skin.

The murder is believed to be linked to Ferry's prosecution of cases in Palu against three men who were convicted of aiding the 2002 Bali bombers.

After Ferry's murder, prosecutors and judges in Palu and the conflict areas of Papua, Aceh and Maluku were given police protection.

Those receiving individual protection from the police are prosecutors and judges handling high-profile cases.

Meanwhile, police are scheduled on Tuesday to destroy thousands of homemade firearms, bombs, rounds of ammunition, bows and arrows that were confiscated during recent door-to-door searches across Poso regency in Central Sulawesi.

The ceremony will be led by Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Taufik Ridha and Poso Regent Abdul Muin Pusadan.

Agus said the firearms, bows and arrows would be burned, while the bombs, bullets and other explosive devices would be sunk at sea.

The event will also be used by officials to launch a peace campaign ahead of the July 5 presidential election, the head of the people's protection agency, Amirullah Sia, told The Jakarta Post.

"We will make Poso an exemplary region for peace among conflict areas. We are committed to preventing any unexpected incidents during the one-month presidential campaign period that begins on Tuesday," he said.