Palu motorists searched for weapons

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.