Police, AFP probe Medan bombing
Damar Harsanto and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Medan
Police said on Thursday they were working with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to investigate two bombing incidents in North Sumatra, betting on AFP's advanced technology to boost their chances of solving the cases.
"We have formed a team (with AFP) led directly by North Sumatra Police chief detective Adj. Sr. Comr. Prasetyo Hari," said National Police deputy spokesman Sr. Comr. Zainuri Lubis.
The joint team, Zainuri said, hoped to benefit from AFP's superior technology in analyzing evidence found at the blast sites.
"We may benefit from their (AFP) expertise in conducting a scientific investigation. But the final say during the entire investigation remains in our hands," said Zainuri.
On Monday, a bomb exploded at a parking lot in front of the mayor's office in Medan, damaging three cars.
The second homemade bomb exploded close to a gas pipeline in Labuhan Deli, more than 20 kilometers north of Medan on Tuesday.
Another bomb, which did not explode, was discovered just below a gas pipeline owned by state oil and gas company Pertamina.
North Sumatra Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Amrin Karim said earlier the second bomb blast in Labuhan Deli could be heard within a radius of two kilometers.
The second bomb caused minor damage to the pipeline and several houses near the blast site. No fatalities or injuries were reported during those attacks.
Two AFP officers have been in Medan since Thursday afternoon. Medan police spokesman Snr. Comr. Amrin Karim said the two AFP officers had found the fingerprints of one perpetuator.
Zainuri added police were trying to match the fingerprints with its files.
The bombers, he said, appeared to be targeting government- owned assets although the motive remained unclear.
"They (the bombers) targeted the office of Medan's mayor, gas pipelines, and a bridge, infrastructure that all belongs to the government," said Zainuri.
Police have so far questioned 18 people in connection with the bombing, said Medan Police chief Adj. Snr. Comr. Bagus Kurniawan.
He said that none of them had been named a suspect.
Indonesian police and AFP had cooperated successfully in hunting down the perpetuators of the Oct. 12 Bali bombing. At least 202 people died in that bombing, 89 of whom were Australians. Together they have been able to nab around 30 suspects linked to the terrorist strike.
The police have linked the Bali bombing to Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), a clandestine organization with a regional base.
So far there is no sign of such a link in the North Sumatra bombing where government assets rather than foreign assets have been targeted.