Police free two Doulos suspects

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said on Tuesday that two of the 11 suspects being questioned over the Christian-run Doulos Foundation burning incident have been released due to lack of evidence.

"They have been freed as there was very little evidence against them," Noegroho told reporters. He, however, did not give any names.

Some 300 people, armed with sharp weapons and Molotov cocktails, stormed the foundation's complex in Cipayung, East Jakarta, and burned the 2.7-hectare complex to the ground on the evening of Dec. 15.

Earlier, a source close to the investigation said that one of the suspects was Sumardi, a former government employee, while two others were students of a known university here.

"The students are members of the Defenders of Islam (FPI)," the officer said.

FPI has denied that any of its members had a role in the arson attack that killed one person.

The source also said that attack had been plotted at the end of last month by the mastermind, who was still at large.

"On Dec. 15, the suspects were told by a friend of the mastermind to contact one of the suspects, Untung. They then planned to meet with the crowd who were to break their fast at a mosque, some 200 meters from the foundation."

"Right after the Tarawih (Ramadhan evening prayer), they stormed the foundation," the officer said. (ylt)