Police beef up security patrols in tense Poso
Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu
Police have beefed up security patrols in Poso, Central Sulawesi,following the beheading of three female students in the vicinity of the town on Saturday.
About 1,000 police, including reinforcements from other parts of the country, were standing by in the regency on Sunday, with over 300 additional officers expected to arrive later.
National Police chief Gen. Sutanto said the military had been asked to help the police maintain security through a joint operation.
"Right now, Poso is under civilian control, but the police and the military will secure the area," Sutanto said before a meeting with local religious leaders on Sunday.
He appealed to the public to let the police handle the incident, the latest to hit the conflict-ridden area.
"The police will try to find the people behind these criminal acts and will demand they be brought to account in the name of the law," Sutanto said.
During the meeting, the religious leaders questioned the police's inability to arrest the culprits behind a string of attacks in Poso over the years.
The masterminds between the market bombing that killed 22 people in the Tentena area of Poso last May are still on the run.
Accompanying Sutanto were State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Syamsir Siregar and officials from the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.
Central Sulawesi Police chief Sr. Comr. Oegroseno said the beheadings were aimed at inciting chaos.
"This is not a pure crime. This is an extraordinary incident perpetrated by a group who want to bring chaos to Poso," Oegroseno said.
Previous terror attacks in Poso have failed to renew widespread violence between Muslims and Christians in Poso, so the group was attempting to increase tension by beheading the three students.
Oegroseno said the police had difficulties in finding the criminals as people often refused to divulge important information to the police.
"Without the public's help, the police investigation will proceed very slowly," Sutanto said.
Central Sulawesi Governor Aminuddin Ponulele insisted that the police should capture the criminals dead or alive as soon as possible as things had gone too far.
"The police should not work alone. They should cooperate with the military," he said.
Despite the heightened security, people appeared to be going about their activities as normal. A lot of people were to be seen walking on the streets without any obvious signs of fear.
Police said that up to six assailants dressed in black had attacked and beheaded Theresia Morangkir, 15, Alfita Poliwo, 17 and Yarni Sambue, 15, who were on their way to the Central Sulawesi Christian Church (GKST) senior high school on Saturday.