Police detain 57 troublemakers

DILI: Fifty-seven people have been detained since May over their alleged involvement in riots, according to the outgoing local police chief, Col. Jusuf Mucharam.

"Three of them were arrested only last night," said Mucharam after transferring his post to Col. Atok Rismanto here Monday.

Mucharam said the authorities were hunting seven more people suspected of making trouble in several parts of the former Portuguese colony.

All of them are suspected of involvement in recent violence, notably an attack on a police special forces office in a western suburb of Dili, arson at the Old Mercado market and an ambush near Baucau.

Mucharam said police had arrested nine arsonists over the Mercado market and questioned 20 witnesses, Antara reported.

"Security disturbers have moved from the jungle to Dili where they were put up by their relatives. If the relatives dared to reject them, the troublemakers would have killed them," he said. (pan)