Police focus on riot instigators

Police focus on riot instigators

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Police said on Monday there was
strong evidence linking eight people, including prominent
figures, to the Nov. 30 riot here, Antara reported.

"Four of the eight people are high-ranking officials," chief
of the provincial police, Col. Engkesman Rangkeong Hillep, said
following a closed-door meeting with members of the National
Commission on Human Rights.

Commission members Clementino dos Reis Amaral, Benyamin
Mangkoedilaga and Mohammad Salim are in Kupang to collect
firsthand information on the Nov. 30 tragedy.

The Kupang incident followed a procession initiated by four
Christian youth organizations to mourn the Nov. 22 riot in
Ketapang, Jakarta, which claimed at least 14 lives and damaged
several buildings, including churches.

At least 11 mosques and smaller Moslem places of worship were
set ablaze and more than a dozen houses, a haj dormitory,
government offices and school buildings were destroyed in the
Kupang riot, causing material losses of nearly Rp 30 billion.

During their visit, the commission members also met with
Moslem, Christian and Catholic figures.

Hillep said the eight were identified after the interrogation
of 54 suspects. He said the provocateurs ordered or incited the
mourners to commit destructive acts.

"When the time comes we will arrest them."

He said dossiers of 14 of the 54 suspects in the looting and
arson during the riot were submitted to the local public
prosecutor's office for further processing.

"The rest will be submitted to the public prosecutor's office
in one to two weeks' time," he said.

He added the police also impounded three trucks used in the
riot.